The Gods of Virginia
by jazzywazzy08
Summary: An accident sends Bonnie Bennett back in time and puts her an unwanted position in Mystic Falls, circa 1864. She rather quickly garners the attention of the Salvatore brothers which becomes even more of a problem when the town begins to suspect her of witch craft.
1. Part One: The Pocket Watch

**Title: **The Gods of Virginia

**Rating: **M

**Genre:** AU/AH, Time Travel/Romance

**Pairing(s): **Bonnie/Stefan, Bonnie/Damon, Matt/Katherine, Tyler/Caroline, Elijah/Katherine, etc.

**Summary:** When an accident sends Bonnie Bennett back to 1864, and circumstance forces her into becoming a "kept" woman, she is less than excited to find that Damon Salvatore will be the one for whom she will play _placée_, but it is the price she must pay to live amongst the _gens de couleur_, a society that holds the only ancestor she has with the power to send her home. However, Bonnie begins to interest Stefan Salvatore as well and to make matters worse Mystic Falls isn't ready to witness open concubinage between a white man and a black woman especially when that woman is suspected of witchcraft.

**Warnings:** Time Travel, Non-Canon, Racism, Sexual Content, Violence, Original Character etc.

_**Author's Note: I am not sure that I like the way that this fic turned out but I promised that I would post it so here it is. This fic could go one of three ways as far as pairings go If you don't know what **_**plaçage**_** is, it is basically a system most well known in New Orleans, in which white men entered extralegal unions with women of color. In most cases the relationship lasted up until and sometimes after a suitable (basically white) match was found for the male parties involved. In some cases when such relationships ended if the woman of color was still of a young and desirable age she entered into another such union with another male, most times she would marry a man of African or Creole descent. Because I am basically building a, **_**gens de couleur**_**, society from the ground up in Mystic Falls, Virginia, there will be more than one original characters popping up here and there the main three being, Antoinette Aimee Bennett-Mercier, Thomas La Belle, and Raoul Mercier, who I will place pictures of (to show you how I imagine them in my head) on my authors page, and who will have reason and development. So apparently according to Vampire Diaries Wiki, Katherine arrived in Mystic Falls in September so Bonnie will be arriving in April and will be gone in or before July. Anyway let me know if you want this continued. As usual thanks for reading. Enjoy!**_

**Part One: The Pocket Watch**

_ The gods of Virginia aren't really gods at all. At least not in Mystic Falls, those gods are people, mere mortals that have a god complex. These people, they think that they know more than any higher power that man could fathom. These mortals masquerading as gods, they police us, they tell us how to behave, how not to behave. They tell us what to fight for, and when to keep our mouths shut and our eyes closed. They tell us what to live for, what to die for. Who to include and who to exclude. They tell us what is right and what is wrong. They tell us who we are supposed to hate and who we are allowed to love. No matter how much we pray to the God that we know to be real, it is always the will of these imposters that is done. If these are the only gods we have then I prefer the rule of men that see themselves as men. But that is not entirely truthful, the truth is that my rule of my own life, is what I prefer above all. However, no matter what I prefer I will never have that control._

― _From the journal of Stefan Salvatore circa April, 1864_

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Bonnie Bennett watched as her mother walked around her deceased grandmother's old house with a sense of detachment. While everyone else in the town was at the ball that the Originals were throwing Bonnie had been at the cemetery with Abby, helping her to say goodbye to Grams.

Now they were in her Grams' old house with Abby looking around at old pictures and looking to be on the verge of tears. She had went from looking at pictures and recalling memories from her childhood, to peering around corners and into rooms as if she expected Sheila Bennett to pop out of one of them.

Bonnie sat down on the well worn but well loved couch feeling uncomfortable. She wished that her life could be different. She wished that she could still smile. She wished that she could still be a normal teenager. She wished that she still knew what it was like to have real friendship that didn't come under the condition that she be available for on call witch craft. She wished that she could dress up and be the belle of some ball that didn't involve the Originals and that she could attend it on the arm of a man that was interested in her and only her, not her powers and not another woman. She wished that she had a mother that had never left her and had always stayed by her side and loved her unconditionally, and things were anything but awkward between them. She wished that she had a father that wouldn't rather stay out of town than take care of or simply be there for his only daughter. But most of all Bonnie wished that she cared about herself enough to change the things that she could, let go of the things that she could not, take back the person that she once was, and become the person that she always wanted to be.

"Bonnie," her mother's voice said breaking Bonnie out of her thoughts. She looked up from where she sat on the couch to find Abby Bennett-Wilson staring down at her. "Come with me please," she said, "There are some things that I would like to show you."

Bonnie's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but she nodded anyway and stood. She smoothed her hands down the plain black dress that she wore and walked after her mother, letting herself be led through the house that she knew so well.

They ended up in the attic, a place that Bonnie rarely went unless it was to look into her grandmother's witch reserves. Usually when she was looking it wasn't for her own benefit or to find out more about her family or her craft, it was always for someone else. When she had first discovered who she was, or rather what was in her blood, she had been equal parts scared and curious. She had never delved beyond the surface of it, she only knew a little about the Salem witch thing, and then there was what she knew of Emily. Though, Bonnie had always found it extremely funny that though both Salvatore brothers had known Emily neither had ever really discussed her ancestor with her outside of asking her to contact her to provide them assistance. Then again Bonnie wasn't surprised, she was sure that the Salvatore brothers knew more about her line then even she did but as they weren't interested in her outside of her magic, it wouldn't make sense for them to have an actual conversation with her, let alone one that delved into her family history. Once upon a time she had thought that she and Stefan could at least be friends but that time had long passed.

"Before she died your Grams always said that she wanted us both to be women who were well informed about who and what we are," Abby said, "Our family has a great wealth of history, culture, and experiences, from Salem to the Civil Rights Movement, to everything in between. There is a reason that the Bennett name is known throughout the supernatural world. Bennett witches are notorious not just because of our power and our strength, we are history, and we make history." Bonnie was surprised to hear Abby speak of their family with such pride and respect. It surprised her that Abby's abandonment had nothing to do with unwillingness to accept their heritage, she had after all allowed her powers to fade. "Did she ever get to tell you about the witches in our family?"

Bonnie shook her head as Abby opened the attic door. "Not really," Bonnie said sadly, "Somewhat. I mean she told me about Salem and about Emily. But we never delved into it the way that I wanted to. I was too busy using my powers to help other people, I didn't really learn to appreciate where and who they came from. But I always wanted to know."

They walked into the attic, Bonnie on Abby's heels. It looked the same as always. Crowded with low lighting, more dust than substance. Piles of books in every corner, old trunks and card board boxes, and trinkets and artifacts that Bonnie didn't understand.

"Our history is far richer than Salem, Bonnie," Abby said as they walked inside of the attic and Bonnie closed the door behind them, "I know that if mom had a chance that she would have told you all of it. But since she can't now, it's my job to." Abby hadn't truly believed that her mother was really dead until the moment that she had saw her grave. It had broken her. Everything she had done, everything that she had willingly left and abandoned had came crashing down on her. She could no longer justify her actions to herself. As she had looked down at her mother's headstone she had realized that none of it had been worth it. She had lost her mother and she didn't want to lose Bonnie as well, not when she had finally realized what she had left behind.

Bonnie was surprised by the offer but as Abby turned to face her Bonnie saw it for what it was. It wasn't just about Abby informing Bonnie about their history, or using the information to make Bonnie a better witch. It wasn't even about the guilt Abby felt about leaving her, of not seeing Sheila before she had died. It was about them spending time together, and as Bonnie was not only using Abby just to help the people that she could just barely call friends, but she had immediately moved out of her Grams' house and back into the house that she was sharing with her father when Abby had decided to stay in her grandmother's house while in town just so that she wouldn't have to be near the woman, Bonnie could understand why Abby would feel that they would need an excuse to spend time together.

Sighing Bonnie decided that even if her relationship with Abby wasn't improved by the time that they did spend talking about their family, at the very least Bonnie would learn her history and maybe by doing so she could rediscover who she was and in discovering that figure out who she wanted to be. "Alright," Bonnie agreed, "Where would you like to start?"

Abby smiled a watery smile at her. Bonnie was surprised when she was suddenly enveloped in Abby's arms. Bonnie awkwardly returned the hug before Abby pulled away. She watched as Abby wiped a few wayward tears before turning away from her and entered the attic more fully. Abby walked across the room her own black dress flaring with each step. She stopped in front of a large oak trunk, with intricate designs carved into the surface of the dark wood.

Abby ran her hands almost reverently over the lid, before she unlocked it and lifted it slowly and carefully. Her eyes roved over the trunks contents. She reached inside and retrieved a sepia colored photograph. She studied the picture a moment before handing it to Bonnie. The first thing that Bonnie noticed about the woman in the photo were her eyes, they looked dark and dangerous even in black and off white, and her stare was direct and unnerving. It almost seemed as if she were challenging the viewer of the photo to look back. The rest of the woman's features Bonnie noticed after her eyes, long unruly black hair, which she wore down which was unusual for the time in which it looked like the photograph had been taken. Wide nose, full lips, oval shaped face. There was a caption beneath the photo, a name, _Antoinette Aimee Bennett_. Even from the photograph she looked like a woman to be reckoned with.

"She's beautiful," Bonnie whispered, "Who was she? I mean beyond the name on the photo." There looked to be a story there and Bonnie suspected that it was an interesting one.

"Antoinette Aimee Bennett-Mercier," Abby said a hint of fondness in her tone, "Was the quadroon wife of the son of a New Orleans plantation owner. She and her husband met when his father arranged for her to become his _placée_, a concubine of sorts, it's a system that's hard to explain by today's standards. She was meant to substitute until he found a proper wife, which in those days meant white and of good social standing." Abby and Bonnie shared a look before she continued. "But Raoul Mercier never could listen to the rule of the south. He married Antoinette and together they sought to amend the system in which they fell in love to allow it to accommodate feelings and romanticism with rather mixed results. Their marriage wasn't recognized in the states but he never denied who she was to him when asked. Her grandfather fought in the Haitian Revolution of 1797, and like him she was a force to be reckoned with. She was an influential member of the _gens de couleur_, the society of free people of color that flourished in the 1800's. She was also the one to bring Haitian Vodou to Mystic Falls."

Bonnie instantly thought about Damon Salvatore's definition of voodoo but Bonnie didn't think that was what her mother meant. "What exactly does that type of magic entail?" Bonnie asked, "And how did she end up in Mystic Falls?"

Abby shrugged. "The details are sketchy and the story has been edited in many ways overtime but she did leave her mark," Abby said, "So much so that she was executed here, before Emily even, and the Creole people that they had left behind were run out of town or killed before the end of the Civil War. As for the vodou is a syncretic religion, its similar to what we practice today, the vodouists are even sometimes known as 'servants of the spirits'. There are many types of magic Bonnie, and if we so choose we can understand and access them all."

Bonnie nodded and then looked over to the remaining contents of the trunk. There was a necklace wrapped in satin cloth, the stone was pitch black and the hung from a silver chain. Bonnie held the necklace up to herself.

Abby smiled. When she had been younger she had admired Antoinette, and begged her mother to allow to try on the clothes and trinkets that her trunk had held. Sheila had never allowed it and now she doubted she could fit into anything outside of the jewelry. "You should try it on," Abby suggested, "I bet it would suit you." She reached into the trunk and lifted the dress from the inside. "You should try on the dress as well," Abby said, "I know this isn't exactly the kind of thing that the other girls are wearing to the ball that they're all at tonight but I've missed all of your dances and I'd like to see you all dressed up."

Bonnie eyed the hunter green dress. It was beautiful, if a bit excessive, in the way that only a traditional southern ball gown could be. "Where did this dress come from?" Bonnie asked.

"Antoinette wore this to her first quadroon ball," Abby said, "It was where she met Raoul."

Bonnie smiled. She wouldn't exactly be the belle of the ball, she would actually likely look rather ridiculous. But Bonnie hadn't done anything ridiculous in a while. Besides trying on old dresses and listening to old stories her mother told her, was something that made Bonnie think of little girls listening to bed time stories and trying on their mother's clothes. Bonnie wasn't a little girl anymore but she had missed that time with Abby and this would be the best that she could get.

:::

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

April brought showers along with a friend from New Orleans. Stefan Salvatore had never understood the business side of things when it came to his family wealth and prosperity. He understood that they were more than well off, he understood that it afforded him certain advantages, and he understood that it sometimes kept his father up at night. He also understood that it required his father to meet with a number of different people.

Usually when his father's associates would visit Stefan was unbothered. It was a rather regular occurrence. They would come, many times stay a few nights, talk business and politics and then leave. But the appearance of Raoul Mercier all the way from Louisiana, was something that Stefan Salvatore could not ignore. Especially given the fact that his brother had just arrived home after deserting the fight for the confederacy.

Giuseppe hadn't done business with the Mercier family in close to three years. Ever since, Raul had run off to France and gotten married to a quadroon, Stefan's father had declared the family unfit to associate with. Though, Stefan had never been in love, had never defied his father, and had very little experience with women, colored or otherwise, he was much more understanding of Raoul's situation.

As the system hadn't reached Virginia, Stefan knew very little of plaçage. However, he did know enough to know that the colored girls involved were only meant to act as a body to warm one's bed until a more suitable match came along. Sometimes the arrangements carried on after a marriage occurred but the relationships were never recognized publically and the placées and any children that they birthed had very little rights, especially in face of the wives of the men that kept them. To Stefan it had all seemed like a rather organized form of prostitution. The men offered money and a better life in exchange for sex. When explaining it to Stefan his father had made it seem very businesslike and impersonal. There weren't supposed to be feelings involved.

When Raoul had married his placée, even if the marriage wasn't legally recognized in the states, Stefan's father had been up in arms. Giuseppe had called Raoul every name in the book. He claimed that the young man had no sense of duty and had even claimed him to be corrupt and insane. Giuseppe had been surprised and disappointed by Raoul's irrational and seemingly impromptu actions. Stefan on the other hand had known Raoul's plan all along.

Raoul and Stefan had always been friends of sorts. Though, Raoul was closer to Stefan's brother's age, he had always found more common ground with Stefan than Damon, which was why he usually sought Stefan out when their father's did business together. In many ways Raoul actually reminded Stefan of Damon, though he was much less impulsive, had a better sense of self, and didn't live in anyone's shadow. Unlike both Salvatore siblings Raoul had never been concerned with pleasing his father, he made choices based on what he thought was best for himself and what he wanted, it was something the Stefan had always envied and that Damon had always resented him for.

Even with his sometimes selfish ways, Raoul had always been a closet romantic. He had always been against arranged marriages or even marriages of convenience. Damon had always seen it as some sort of weak way to rebel against his father, but Stefan saw it for what it was. Stefan found the concept archaic himself but he had no delusions as to whether he would agree to such a match if his father were to place one in front of him. But Raoul had wanted to marry for love, because his parents had been proof of the misery that could come about if one did not.

But Raoul had kept his mouth shut about such things when he wasn't around Stefan. He acted with a quiet defiance, though even he had to acquiesce on occasion. Like the rest of them Raoul was forced to do things out of duty that he wouldn't have done otherwise. Participating in plaçage had been one of those things.

In the beginning though Raoul had agreed to make the arrangement, it had been merely to shut up his father and he hadn't planned to have any sort of relationship with the girl outside of providing her with what he had promised. He wouldn't touch her, he had told Stefan. He hated the system and he had felt that they both deserved to live and love in a more natural way. And so he had declared that he would provide for the girl until they were afforded the opportunity to end the arrangement all together. While the thought had been nice, Stefan supposed, the sentiment hadn't really lasted long.

Raoul had written Stefan letters. In them he had talked of the girl, in bits and pieces at first, but he began to mention her more and more often. At first it was a mere mention of a trip here and there to check on the girl's wellbeing and the distaste he felt for the arrangement altogether. Then he had begun to visit her for longer periods of time, they talked Raoul had said, about what Stefan was unsure as their lives and positions in society were so drastically different that Stefan didn't understand what the two could possibly find to discuss. But Raoul had begun to refer to the girl as his friend, which was odd to Stefan, but as she seemed to be the only person who actually listened to Raoul and his wants and needs outside of him, Stefan had kept his confusion on the matter to himself.

Eventually it got the point that the girl, Aimee, was all Raoul talked about. Stefan had realized that Raoul was in love with her before Raoul did. It was strange and unconventional and to many wrong, but Raoul was his friend and he was afraid and so Stefan stuck by him. When Raoul had revealed his plan to run away with Aimee, Stefan had not tried to stop him. He had wished his friend happiness and he had kept his mouth shut. No, Stefan had not been surprised when they had run; he had however been surprised when they had come back. But they had made their way rather fearlessly into society on more than one occasion and Stefan had heard that Raoul's wife (though Stefan was the only one outside of a very small group of people including Damon, despite his brother's dislike of Raoul, that referred to her as such) was a woman that could hold her own in any company despite her position in society.

Stefan could not begin to understand their relationship. Not only because he didn't really understand the system in which they met, or even because they had gone against societal standards, the main reason that Stefan could never understand their relationship was because he himself had never been in love with anyone before. But Raoul was happy and that was really in Stefan's eyes the only thing that really needed to be understood.

However, the moment that Raoul had barged into the Salvatore Estate demanding to see his father, it was clear to Stefan that he wasn't there on a friendly visit. Despite maintaining his friendship with Stefan, Raoul had not set foot in their home or spoken to Giuseppe since his marriage. So when he had all but broken the door down his black hair in a frenzy, his blue eyes wide, and his lips curled in a way that made the scar on the side of his cheek that he had gotten in one of his many tussles with Damon all the more prominent, Stefan had been shocked to see him. He had made no objections when Raoul had gone right to his father's office, he knew that the man had a temper, and if he was there then he had one hell of a reason.

Stefan who had been focused on his studies at the time had abandon them in favor of following Raoul through his house and toward his father's office so that he could eavesdrop at the door. Damon who had been drinking and sulking about his desertion soon followed. Raoul was far too distracted to notice them, which while convenient for their purposes, was another bad sign.

For a moment as Stefan pressed his ear to the closed door of his father's office, he thought to similar eavesdropping missions had had done with Damon in their childhood. But thinking of Damon made him think of the war, which made him wonder what would happen to his brother now that everyone knew where he was and what he had done. Stefan knew that Damon couldn't fight for a cause that he did not believe in, but it had been more than that, it had been his fear of death, and his unwillingness to kill. Now Damon was labeled a coward by the town and a disappointment by his father. Stefan wasn't sure that Damon would be able to rise out of the depression that was now consuming him. Thankfully, the conversation on the other side of the door soon distracted Stefan from his dark thoughts, and Damon from his self-loathing sulking.

"I'm assuming from your anger and the state of your appearance that you received my response to your letter," Giuseppe said his voice unsurprisingly cool.

"Indeed, Mr. Salvatore," Raoul said his voice sounding deeper and more controlled than Stefan remembered, "I have and have come to convince you to reconsider your stance on the matter."

"Good luck with that," Damon muttered from behind Stefan. Stefan couldn't help but grin. Even in his current state his brother's sarcastic wit was still intact.

"Considering Mr. Mercier," Giuseppe began, "That you wish to corrupt my town by bringing in the very system that caused your own disgrace and societal downfall in the first place-"

Raoul who had always been respectful even in his defiance seemed to have no problem with cutting his father off much to Stefan's surprise. "The father of a deserter wishes to tell me about disgrace and downfall," Raoul said. Stefan couldn't see his face but he could almost feel the moment that Damon winced. "The south isn't fairing very well in this war," Raoul said, "Though I cannot say that I will be very disturbed if the outcome of our loss is to end the abomination that is slavery." Giuseppe sputtered but Raoul ignored him and continued. "My way of life and the society in which my wife was birthed is being threatened, as is yours. My position in our society should not sway you from thinking on those terms as yours is beginning to lack."

"Your way of life," Giuseppe said his tone mocking, "This isn't about your way of life. You my son have an equal amount of hatred for the system of plaçage as I do, though for a very different reason. No, this is about the girl. The one you can call wife according to the sacrilege that is French law but is nothing to you here."

Stefan heard what may have been a groan come from behind him. "Why must he always go below the belt with his attacks," Damon sighed, "A man's wife is his wife, no matter whose law it is under." Stefan was surprised that Giuseppe would attack Raoul's wife in so openly a manner, but more surprised that Damon would object to the fact. Damon hated Raoul, but even so he had nothing against Aimee, as neither of them had met her. Still Stefan doubted Damon understood the relationship anymore that he did.

It was clear that whatever respect their father had once had for Stefan's friend was now gone. "You will not speak of my wife in that manner, masseur," Raoul hissed, the threat in his tone clear.

Stefan opened the door just a crack so that they could peek inside. Giuseppe rolled his eyes. "Admit that she is your sole motivation," he said, "That your silly little tryst with her has caused you to lose what good sense your father managed to breed into you all of these years."

"My motivation is to save a society that now considers me to be a disgrace," Raoul said, "Whether you or I agree with the system for whatever reason, it is a southern tradition and it will be attacked before the end of the war along with the rest. It will be the beginning of the end for the south and life as we all know it will come tumbling down. This is about preservation Salvatore. Surely you know about survival. If I must spread this tradition in order to keep it alive then I will and that goes for any others that have come to be essential to our society and our way of life." In truth Raoul was not doing this for the south but rather the, _gens de colour_, free people of color or not, the end of plaçage meant the end of any social standing that they possessed. They were his Aimee's people so they were his as well, his to stand behind and his to protect.

"Whatever your silly little reasons," Giuseppe said, "You will not spread it here." Stefan could tell from his father's tone that the discussion was over as far as he was concerned.

Stefan doubted that Raoul would give up. It was not in his nature. There was a pause and Stefan realized that they were at a stalemate of sorts. He knew well of the matter of which they were discussing. Raoul had written to his father about bringing _plaçage_ to Mystic Falls. A letter that Giuseppe had read aloud to Stefan and mocked relentlessly. But Giuseppe had been surprised to find that other associates in neighboring states had agreed to try the system on for size and that amounted to more business partners being cut off.

"I did not want things to come to this Giuseppe," Raoul said his tone sounded sad, yet resigned, "You have been a friend of my family for years. I love your sons as if they were my own brothers. Because of this love I have been protecting both of them, one of them in particular. As I said before the south is not fairing well in this war. The draft has been opened and despite his youth Stefan's name has appeared on it more than once, then there is the matter of Damon's resent desertion. It is only because of me that they have remained untouched. I have approached other members of the town's council on this matter and you are the last that needs to agree. The council has approved the quadroon ball for tonight, if Damon and Stefan are not in attendance and if your sons do not participate in full…," Raoul hesitated his voice breaking slightly. It was only his thoughts of Aimee that allowed him to continue. "I will withdrawal my protection of them."

Stefan's mouth fell open. He had been unaware that Raoul had been protecting them all of this time. All this time he had thought that it was Giuseppe's influence that kept him away from the war.

"It was him protecting me," Damon whispered, "All this time I had thought it had been father. I should've known."

Stefan turned and looked at Damon in shock. "What do you mean you should have known?" he asked, "How would you know? Raoul detests you, so him protecting you makes no sense."

"You do not have to like someone for them to be your brother, Stefan," Damon said simply, his blue eyes guarded, "As you may recall, upon returning home, father declared that I has no longer his son. So why would he protect me? However, no matter how much we have fought or do not care for each other, Raoul has never disowned me. There is respect, there is love, and that is why I can call Aimee his wife and mean it, and that is why he can protect me now."

Stefan wasn't stupid or blind. He knew that he was the favored son, though he never understood the reasoning, beyond his agreeableness toward his father. But he had thought in the end that Damon meant something as well, at least enough for him to have his father's protection. To think that it had been Raoul who had been using what little standing, influence, and likely the immense amount of money his family still allowed him access to in spite of his marriage, he had left in society to keep Damon and he safe. He felt some since of betrayal at losing that protection for the sake a system that Raoul hated. However, there was understanding there as well. Stefan knew that Raoul would never put his or Damon's life at risk if he didn't think his cause important.

Stefan didn't think that there was a place in Mystic Falls for the, _gens de colour_, the rest of the council may have permitted the ball but in all likelihood they had done so in order to watch it fail or out of curiosity, and because of a large sum of money given to the town on Raoul's part no doubt. Even with the bribe the council would use the ball to prove to the entire town that Raoul was what they all thought he was, a dreg on the outskirts of society. But Raoul was his friend, and apparently someone Damon respected, and in many ways he was their brother. He was willing to risk Giuseppe's wrath and Stefan's friendship because of this endeavor, so there was no question of its importance.

Giuseppe looked stricken but Stefan knew he was stubborn and would argue. "We must back him in this brother," Damon whispered, "He has saved us both. It is one night and one ball. He would do the same for us."

It was for this reason that Stefan walked into the room and made his presence known, Damon standing close behind. Before his red faced and angry father could speak Stefan cleared his throat causing both the rooms occupants to look in his direction. Taking a deep breath Stefan spoke his first words of defiance toward his father. "There is no need to argue any further," Stefan said, "We will attend the ball."

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Bonnie didn't look as ridiculous in the dress as she thought that she would. The green of it actually brought out the color of her eyes and cut of it was actually rather flattering. She had thought the material would be worn, but it looked like knew. She was sure that it had to have been put under some sort of preservation spell, along with the emerald laced shoes. Abby smiled as Bonnie twirled around. "Shall we do your hair?" Abby asked.

Bonnie frowned slightly. "Isn't that a bit excessive?" Bonnie asked. For her trying on the dress was enough. But she could tell by the look on Abby's face that the woman was trying to make up for lost time so Bonnie conceded even before Abby could talk her into it. "Alright but this stays between us."

"Of course," Abby nodded. She beamed at Bonnie as she took her hands and tugged her out of the attic and toward the bathroom. "So what was your first dance like?" Abby asked.

Bonnie shrugged, not sure what to make of having a mom that was actually interested in her and her life. "Okay," Bonnie said, "The usual. Cheap punch, bad music, and no one actually danced." She thought about it as Abby plugged in her curling irons. "Well," she amended, "No one except for Tyler Lockwood, which now that I think about it, probably scared everyone else away from the dance floor. " Bonnie shook her head. "I still can't look at him without having flashbacks of him doing the robot to The Backstreet Boys, and before you ask yes, unfortunately, that is very possible."

Abby let out a laugh. "Maybe it's a good thing that you weren't invited to this ball tonight if that is what you would have to look forward to," she said. Upon seeing Bonnie's expression she thought that maybe she had miss stepped. "Touchy subject?" She asked.

Bonnie nodded twisting the odd pocket watch she had found in Aimee's trunk in her hands. The silver glinted in the light of the bathroom. The necklace, the dress, and the shoes, Bonnie understood, but the watch seemed out of place. Not only that but as she opened the face she realized it didn't ever work, not even a single tic could be heard. "I just thought that maybe since I had released Klaus' mother in the first place that that would warrant an invitation," she said, "Not that I wanted to go. Besides I am pretty sure someone will call me later when the Originals decide to go all crazy and they need a witch to clean up the mess."

"Well," Abby said, "If they do tell them that you are taking the night off." Bonnie almost laughed. If only it were that simple. "Don't give me that look," Abby said seriously, "I know I haven't been here and it's a little late for me to give advice and act all preachy but I have learned from experience that people can only do to you what you let them. "

"You sound like Grams," Bonnie muttered. But Abby sounded like Sheila only made Bonnie more inclined to believe that she was right.

"Another reason to take the advice," Abby said stepping up behind her and beginning to fuss with Bonnie's hair.

"Tell me more about Aimee," Bonnie said wanting desperately to change the subject.

Abby knew that she was dodging but decided not to push. "Well," she said, "As I said before she brought Haitian vodou to Mystic Falls but she also brought plaçage with her as well. It's a wonder how the council put up with her as long as they did though most thought that her magic had something to do with that. Actually if my memory serves me, Aimee's first and last quadroon ball held in Mystic Falls took place just short of one hundred and fifty years ago tonight."

Bonnie laughed, causing Abby to burn her ear with the curling iron. "Ow," she winced.

"Sorry," Abby muttered, "But you can't move around like that. What was so funny anyway?"

"Nothing," Bonnie said starting to shake her head and then thinking better of it, "It's just…I just realized how old Stefan and Damon are." Bonnie's eyebrows furrowed as she thought about their ages turning the time of the ball. "Do you think they might have gone…to the ball I mean?" Bonnie asked.

Abby shrugged. "They're no real record of who was in attendance," she said, "Actually the who time period beginning with Aimee's arrival has almost been obliterated from our history. I doubt we would ever know."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" It just reminded her of every other part of the town's history and present that they tried to sweep under the rug. "So these balls," Bonnie asked, "What were the like?"

"Well when I was a little girl I had painted a pretty little picture of them in my head," Abby said, "The dancing, the pretty dresses, and the wooing. Now that I am older though, I'd say they were a more dignified form of the slave block." Bonnie winced. "Don't get me wrong though," Abby said, "While the gens de clour had nowhere near the rights of whites, they were miles ahead of slaves in many respects. They're were allowed education, and many lived by their own means, they were after all considered free. If I had to choose between plaçage and slavery well..."  
Bonnie frowned. "We shouldn't have had to choose," she stated, "Neither system should've existed."

"You sound like Aimee,' Abby said, "She made a similar declaration in her journal after her childhood friend Claudette fell in love with a slave and he was auctioned off."

Bonnie had thought hat Abby had been exaggerating about her respect for Aimee but she was obviously not. In a way Bonnie was jealous. Abby cared enough to know the details of Aimee's life but not her own daughters. It was odd. "If she didn't like either system why would she want to bring plaçage to Mystic Falls?" Bonnie asked getting away from her dark thoughts.

"The free people of color, her people, it was what had built their society," Abby said as she pinned up Bonnie's hair, "She felt that if the system could outlast the civil war then they could use it for them to thrive and eventually move beyond it."

"I guess that makes sense," Bonnie said spinning the watch around in her hands once more.

Abby put the finishing touches on her hair and smiled. "Still think you look ridiculous?" She asked. She watched as Bonnie looked at herself in the mirror.

Bonnie studied herself in the mirror. She wondered not for the first time what it would have been like to be of that time. Even if those women were being auctioned off to the highest bidder but surely some of them had felt desired and wanted. Why else would those men flock toward the balls in droves? Aimee had found love in that system if what Abby had said was true. She had met someone who was willing to give up everything and take her as his wife in a time where it could have easily meant death for them both. Bonnie couldn't even fine someone who wanted her for he, even Jeremy had chosen a ghost over her in the end.

Perhaps Bonnie was romanticizing the situation, but the more the thought about it the more she was she wanted to be in that time. She wanted to dance with men who didn't know that she was a witch, she wanted to be looked at with desire because they thought that she was exotic and beautiful. More than that she wanted to escape her life, her prison. She wanted to be away from a place where she was one call every minute when someone needed a quick spell and nonexistent when they didn't. It was crazy she knew, that she would prefer a place where she would have no rights and so much less of a future. But what would be here future here, to do spell after spell until she eventually died for Elena's sake?

Bonnie's thoughts stopped as she realized that the watch in her hand had started to tick. She looked down at the open face and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as realized that the hands on the face of the clock were moving backward. She turned to show Abby but realized with a start that Abby was no longer there. In fact things were disappearing at a rather rapid rate and then being replaced by other things. Bonnie watched in horror as the room began to change and kept changing and changing as the hands on the clock moved backward so fast she was sure that they would break.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

Thomas La Belle had been hiding in the bathroom of the home that Aimee and Raoul had purchased for close to twenty minutes now. It did not escape him that hiding was a rather juvenile thing to do for a grown man who had just reached one and twenty, however, when he thought about the fact that if he left the bathroom that he would not likely reach two and twenty it made him certain that it would only make sense for him to stay put.

Thomas was a mulatto warlock that Aimee Bennett-Mercier had taken under her wing shortly after her marriage to her husband Raoul. Thomas for his part loved being her apprentice and he loved working on her husband's accounts, despite Aimee's need for perfection and Raoul's notorious temper. So when Aimee had asked his help in organizing the quadroon ball in Mystic Falls, Thomas had agreed. Thomas was given one job, he was to make sure that all of the girls arrived safely and one time. And all of them had, save for one, Thomas' own sister Lisette. Lissette who had taken it upon herself to run away with a house slave, Coleman, from the Mercier plantation. While Thomas wished his sister all the happiness she could find and hoped for her safe passage with Coleman into Canada, he also wished that his sister in leaving had not signed his death certificate.

Thomas did not see what difference one girl would make, but he knew what Aimee would say on the matter. "One girl, Thomas," she would insist, "Could bring the entire ballroom to their knees where the others fail. One girl, Thomas, could persuade one man. One man that could, if not persuaded, persuade others to run us from this town."

Thomas, though he loved his mentor, always found Aimee to be dramatic at times. Still, he knew that he could not tell her that they were short one girl. If he did she would give him that speech before calling on the spirits to end his existence. Trying to think Thomas began to pace. So focused on his pacing was he that Thomas did not notice that there a woman had appeared in the bathroom with him until he bumped into her and the watch that she was holding fell from her hands, hit the floor, and shattered into little pieces.

As Thomas met the woman's eyes he had not time to worry about the watch however. Because there as a woman, a beautiful woman, dressed in a quadroon ball gown, and ready to take his sister's place. For a moment Thomas thought that he had somehow scared her up, with either his powers or his prayers, which had done the trick Thomas was not sure. However, as Thomas took in the girls expression it was clear that she was frightened and confused. As the girl looked down, Thomas looked down and finally he saw the watch. It was a watch not unlike the one that the peddler on the street outside of the town they had passed through just as they had left New Orleans, had been selling. The old trickster had claimed that the watch could allow one to move backward or forward in time depending on how it had been set. Thomas had luckily talked Aimee out of the purchase.

But as Thomas registered the look of shock on the girl's face, the broken watch, and the fact that the girl had appeared out of nowhere, his mind began to consider. "You wouldn't perhaps be from the future would you?" He asked. Surely she could have been while dressed like that, he fashion would have changed at least some. Besides he had know many a woman and none had ever gotten their hair quite so perfect. The girl nodded. So that settled it, she was from the future. "How far away would you say?" Thomas asked curiously.

The girl eyed him, her green eyes seeming out of place against the brown of her skin. "Is this 1864?" She asked.

"It was when I awoke this morning, yes," Thomas nodded. He took off his spectacles and cleaned them with his handkerchief before placing them back on. Yes, she was indeed still there. Thomas pinched himself, his caramel skin turning slightly red in the spot that he abused. No, not dreaming.

"Well, I am from about one hundred and fifty years in the future, give or take a few years," the girl said.

"Alright then," Thomas said, "And you got her by what means exactly?" She gestured toward the watch on the floor. "I see," Thomas, nodded, seeing that he had been right.

"Do you happen to know how I can get back?" The girl asked.

"We must find the old made with the cart," he said, "The trickster that sells these watches. The problem is that the last I saw of him I left him in New Orleans after calling him a scam artist. However, it seems I was wrong. But war are not in New Orleans you see, we are"

"In Mystic Falls, Virginia," the girl said. Thomas nodded, giving her a questioning look. "I'm from here," the girl explained, "I am in the right place but not the right time."

"We have some friends back in Louisiana that might be able to help," Thomas said, "But that might take some time and we will have to figure out something to do with you until then. Do you have a name, _la petite amie_?

"Bonnie," she responded.

"Well," he said, "My name is Thomas and if you got ahold of that watch I am assuming that you are a witch." At the girl's nod he continued. "I might just have a proposition for you after I run it by my mentor Madame Aimee."

"Aimee Bennett-Mercier?" Bonnie asked.

"You know of Madame Aimee?" Thomas said, not bothering to hide his shock. He had thought the woman was making waves and if she was still known in the girl's time then it was safe to assume that he had been right.

"I'm her descendant," Bonnie said, "She's family."

"Then you are very lucky, Mademoiselle," Thomas informed her, "Madame Aimee takes care of her own."

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

The town was in the midst of being wooed by the Original family as Elena Gilbert joined the balls festivities with a Salvatore on each arm. They were midway down the staircase when both brothers suddenly froze.

Elena frowned as she looked in between them as they both let go of her arm at the same time. Stefan hissed and pain and held his head and Damon did the same a moment later. "What's going on?" Elena said, unsure of who to go to, "Are you alright?"

Damon froze as memories began to flash before his eyes and he knew none of it made sense or could be possible but he couldn't help but pay close attention to each and every one. Each of them featuring the same woman, with brown skin and green eyes, Bonnie Bennett.

Damon forced himself upright, adjusting his tuxedo. His eyes met Stefan's over Elena's head and he could tell by the array of emotions on his brother's face that he had just experienced much of same thing.

"Damon?" Elena said, looking between them, "Stefan?"

Both ignored her as they continued to stare at one another; both reliving the past in each other's eyes. Elena felt as if she was an outsider witnessing a personal moment in which she was intruding on. Perhaps because she was.

In all the times and in all the years that they had spent torn up over the same woman they would never have though it would be her. They had thought that Katherine had been the first but they had been wrong. One had come before, one that for some reason they hadn't remembered until that very moment. Even Katherine had not been so beloved by both. Even she had not inspired so much simultaneous joy and pain all at once.

Elena opened her mouth to say something in hopes of getting at least the attention of one of them when an unfamiliar man came to stand before him. He was tall, with dark hair and blue eyes that reminded her of Damon.

"Hello boys," the man said, with the edge of an accent that Elena could not place.

Both Damon and Stefan seemed to jump to attention as he spoke, but it was Damon who broke the silence. "Raoul?"

"Have you missed me much, Damon?" The man asked, "Stefan?" Neither of them answered as they watched him pull a silver pocket watch from inside the jacket of the black tuxedo he was wearing and shine it with his handkerchief.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

Aimee Bennett-Mercier eyed the girl in front of her. She had basically just finished discussing the girl's options with her. Bonnie Bennett was out of place and out of time; and in this time her options were few. But as she was both a witch, and family, Aimee was determined to take care of her; even as she was focused on her last ditch effort to save a dying tradition that she despised for the people that she wanted to see thrive.

"Come the ball tonight," Aimee said, "I will introduce you as my relative. You make an appearance and tomorrow I will contact my friends in New Orleans and hopefully they can find what we are looking for."

"And how long with that take?" Bonnie asked.

"It could take some time to get the letter to them and then we must wait for the reply," Aimee explained, "And it could take possibly longer to find the man that was selling the watches to begin with. It could be weeks, months. You may stay with Raoul and me until then. You will be well taken care of."

Bonnie sighed looking down at her hands. "That really isn't the issue," she said. Though, she had teased the idea of being in a different time being better, this was far from what she wanted. She supposed she had brought it on herself, however.

"The issue is that you wish to go home," Aimee nodded, to herself. She looked almost too exquisite to Bonnie. Like some sort of the warrior angel, the white dress embroidered with gold thread that she was wearing a stark contrast to her dark eyes and angular features. "Trust me, Bonnie," Aimee said, reaching up and adjusting the comb holding up her dark curls, "When I say that I will do everything in my power in order to get you home as soon as possible. This is not a place for one as powerful and rebellious as me and since you are more powerful and I can sense fire in you, I am sure you will do even more poorly than me here. And being of a different time will do nothing in your favor."

Bonnie didn't know whether to take her words as a complement or an insult, and so she simply smiled politely as Thomas came to sit down next to her.

Aimee rolled her eye in his direction as Thomas leaned down to whisper in her ear. "You will get accustomed to her brazenness I assure you," he muttered.

"Thomas," Aimee said, her tone flat, "She is from one hundred and fifty some years in the future. Did it ever occur to you that she could be more brazen then me?" Thomas made a gesture of conceit and she continued. "But do not worry Bonnie," she said, "I may not be fond of the proper decorum but I know it. I can teach you and once you learn then you will know how to survive."

"If nothing else," Bonnie said, thinking on her life up until that moment, "I know about survival."

"Then perhaps," Aimee smiled, "You will do better in this time than I initially thought." Aimee opened her mouth to speak once more but she stopped when she heard the sound of footsteps. "That would be my husband and his childhood friends." She glanced from Thomas to Bonnie. "Allow me to do the talking and remember the story we agreed to use."

Bonnie and Thomas nodded. As the door to the small sitting room opened, Thomas and Aimee stood and so Bonnie followed suite.

She watched as an unfamiliar man walked in followed by Stefan and Damon Salvatore. She would have been surprised were it not been for Aimee mentioning thing. Bonnie had mentioned knowing them in her time and Aimee had simply said that they would rectify any issues that her presence might cause before she left. Bonnie felt as if she had no choice but to trust her.

She watched as the Salvatore were introduced to Aimee and waited holding her breath as Aimee moved to introduce her. It was odd seeing Damon and Stefan as human. Odder still seeing them dressed in the manner in which they were and with hair much longer than she had ever seen on either of them.

Bonnie almost expected them to have some sort of recognition on their faces as Aimee gestured toward her. "This," Aimee said, "Is my cousin, Miss Bonnie Bennett."

Thomas made a gesture with his head and Bonnie took note, bowing lowly. She smiled at Raoul whom returned the gesture.

However, when she looked toward Stefan and Damon they were both looking at her oddly. Bonnie managed to keep the smile pasted on her face as Thomas took her arm and excused them both from the room.

She followed him out, noting that both Damon and Stefan turned their whole bodies as they watched her go.

Bonnie looked at Thomas raising a questioning eyebrow. "If we were not one girl short then I would advise you to stay here tonight," he said, once they were out of earshot of the others.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Bonnie asked.

"If you aim to make it home without forming any attachment and affecting the future," Thomas sighed, "It would be easier I think if you were not so attractive. You said you knew them in your time. Did they happen show any particular interest in you before?"

Bonnie shook her head vehemently. "Not outside of using my magic," she told him.

"Well," he said, "Being a man myself I a familiar with their ways and they are definitely making their interest known now."

Frowning Bonnie had half a mind to make a run for it and go find the old man with the cart and the pocket watches herself. But if she ran, there was no telling what her fate would be.

_**End Notes: So if this is continued there might be a point in which crosses over into TO territory, at least as far as bringing in characters goes since Aimee is from New Orleans. Also any feedback on this would be much appreciated as I was super unsure about this one. The time jumping thing will happen on an off and everything will be explained the further the fic goes. **_


	2. Part Two: Duty

**Title: **The Gods of Virginia

**Rating: **M

**Genre:** AU/AH, Time Travel/Romance

**Pairing(s): **Bonnie/Stefan, Bonnie/Damon, Matt/Katherine, Tyler/Caroline, Elijah/Katherine, etc.

**Summary:** When an accident sends Bonnie Bennett back to 1864, and circumstance forces her into becoming a "kept" woman, she is less than excited to find that Damon Salvatore will be the one for whom she will play _placée_, but it is the price she must pay to live amongst the _gens de couleur_, a society that holds the only ancestor she has with the power to send her home. However, Bonnie begins to interest Stefan Salvatore as well and to make matters worse Mystic Falls isn't ready to witness open concubinage between a white man and a black woman especially when that woman is suspected of witchcraft.

**Warnings:** Time Travel, Non-Canon, Racism, Sexual Content, Violence, Original Character etc.

_**Author's Note: First I would like to thank all of you for the wonderful feedback. Please keep it coming because I will be addressing some delicate matters in upcoming chapters and I want to make sure that I do so in a tasteful and realistic manner. This chapter came to be so quickly because it was already in the works when I posted the first one, so I am not sure if the next one will be up as fast. Sidenote, I used a lot of quotes from the Charles Dickens book Great Expectations this chapter. If you have never read it then you should. I do hope that you all continue to enjoy this fic. I didn't edit it so if you guys catch anything please point it out to me. Thanks for reading and lots of love to you all!**_

**Part Two: Duty**

_ In life there are many wars that must be fought. Both physical and mental in nature. I have come to find that when a man is called to fight for his country, even if the cause is one in which the man does not believe he must stand behind it. It is his duty. And in the south duty is held above all unless it means duty to oneself. Because while boys and men are encouraged to fight wars and kill other men for causes that they do not believe in when it comes something they do believe in if it does not go along with the rules of society they are not to speak or fight, they are to keep their mouths shut. They are to hold their heads down. They are to let their souls die as they watch other human being suffer, because the world does not see those who suffer as human beings. They are to pick up guns and march and let out battle cries for and fight to keep the very rules they despise in place. It is our duty to be miserable. Our duty to perpetrate hate. Our duty to inherit the whips used to break the backs of men who are only weak because we make them so. It is an odd thing to me that a white man who does his duty can be called gentlemen, when a slave cannot even be labeled as human. An odd thing when all of the monsters that I have known have had white skin and those that I have known that have the most humanity have been black._

― _From the journal of Damon Salvatore circa April, 1864_

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

Bonnie Bennett followed Thomas into the room that in her time held her grandmother's sewing supplies. However, the room was being used for something far more interesting by Aimee and Thomas it seemed. It held the majority of their magical stores. Potions and herbs that Bonnie had never seen before.

"Why are you showing me this?" Bonnie asked, as she walked from shelf the shelf. The dress that she wore was becoming uncomfortable, but she supposed that he would have to get used to it.

"Since you are here now I have someone to learn alongside me," Thomas said, "Unless you have prowess over your powers already?"

Bonnie shook her head at him. It was clear that he was excited to have her there for reasons beyond the fact that Aimee would not kill him for the sake of the missing girl.

"Aimee used to teach me alongside my sister," Thomas revealed as he picked up a jar of lamb's blood from the wall, "I do not learn as well on my own."

Bonnie frowned as she looked at him. "Your sister," she said, "Why did she run?"

Thomas placed the jar back on his shelf and shook his head. "Running," he said, "She was in love and trying to escape the very system Aimee is trying to promote. We were all born into it. It was how we met. Our circles crossed when we were very young. I always looked up to Aimee. She is very headstrong and very powerful."

"How powerful?" Bonnie asked.

"Powerful enough that the vastness of your power did not surprise me once I knew that you came from her line," he said.

"Does Raoul know about her powers?" Bonnie asked.

Thomas nodded. "He does," he replied, "And in spite of his temper he takes more things regarding Aimee in stride. She could grow another limb and he would blink and then have dresses made for her to accommodate it." Thomas smiled as Bonnie laughed. "But our powers do not go over as well with some as they do others. Especially here."

"Then how do we hide them?" Bonnie asked, "I sometimes have issues with control and even then I know that it's hard to be careful all the time. To look over your shoulder at every moment."

"It was easier in New Orleans," he said, "Louisiana is known for such things. The supernatural has been embedded in the city since it was created. It is so common place that people dismiss the issue of magic when it comes up, unless they are in need of it of course." Thomas smirked, as he leaned against the closed door. "But towns like these," he sighed, "Small town looking for anything and everything to demonize. With little people stuck in old ways that are ready to prosecute anything different….these are the town's that we must be wary of. We would not have come at all if Raoul did not have ties here. We will have to be careful. And as for control…" Thomas walked over to one of the shelves and picked up a long rectangular box, "This will help you with."

Bonnie took the box as he held it out for her. She was still uneasy, but it was hard to be afraid when there were so many people who seemed too willing to help her to adjust. She opened the wooden box and looked inside. It was a silver locket with flowers engraved on the front of it. "It's beautiful," Bonnie said.

"It was my sister Lisette's," Thomas said, "One of the things she left behind. There is not a picture inside but an herb. Passionflower. It helps with control."

"It was your sister's," Bonnie said, shaking her head, "I can't take this."

"You can," he said, "She has many others and you will need it while you are here. Our powers are tied to my emotions. And you are not used to this time. Trust me when I tell you that you will witness things and experience things that will inspire an emotional reaction. I do not know what a loss of control would mean in your time, but in this time it could mean death."

Bonnie took the necklace out of the box and held it out in front of her. She wondered once more what she had condemned herself to as Thomas stepped forward to help her put the necklace on her neck. "Since I am so unfamiliar with this time," Bonnie said, as Thomas stepped up behind her, "Do you really think that I should go tonight?"

"It would not do well for us to leave you here alone her," he said, "Just make sure to stay close to one of us at all times. If Aimee says that she will protect you then you can believe it, _poupée_."

Bonnie nodded, as she touched the necklace as it fell in between her breast. "How does one behave at these balls?" Bonnie asked.

Thomas laughed, a little as he stepped away from her. "That is a good question, _ma belle_," he grinned, "The answer to which may take a while. You will learn best if you if I take you to join the other girls. They grew up as women in this world and so they are the ones to ask."

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia 2011**_

Abby Bennett paced the length of the living room in which she had spent most of her childhood. Her daughter had vanished seemingly into thin air and she had no idea where she had gone or what she could do about it.

Her powers were very weak at the best of time and Abby had no one to call. Sheila was dead. Even if Rudy could come home from whatever business trip he was one, he would be of no help. Bonnie's friends were powerless without Bonnie. There was nothing she could do.

Abby had never felt so helpless. When she had left Bonnie, she had cut herself off not just from her daughter, but the entire supernatural community of which she had been a part of. She wished that she had at least kept in contact with one witch in all of the years she had stopped practicing magic.

They barely had any family left. They were thinning out to near nonexistence. The only person that came to mind was Lucy, the woman was on the move constantly and almost always in some sort of trouble. The likelihood of her showing up if she were to call, was slim but Abby knew that she would have to at the very least try.

She moved through the house to find her phone so that she could get Lucy's contact information, but stopped as she heard a knock on the door.

Frowning and expecting to find one of Bonnie's friends asking for something that Abby was in no mood to give, Abby stalked toward the door.

Abby opened the door and ready to give whoever was on the other side a verbal lashing when she froze. There was a hooded female figure on the other side of the door, her silhouette looking oddly familiar against the night sky.

"Can I help you?" Abby asked hesitantly.

"No," a smooth accented voice reply, "But I can help you,_ chérie_." The woman reached up and removed the hood from her head and Abby gasped as Aimee Bennett-Mercier stared back at her. "That is," she smiled, "If you would be nice enough to invite me in."

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia 1864**_

Bonnie watched as Aimee made her way about the room in the Town Hall that they had been permitted to hold the ball in. The way that she fluttered about, moving around giving orders brought Caroline Forbes to mind and gave a sad smile as Aimee turned and waved at her and Raoul.

"She strives for perfection in everything," Raoul leaned down to whisper in Bonnie's ear, "We best stay out of her way."

"I have a friend back home that operates the same way," Bonnie said, "I didn't much appreciate it at the time but it seems kind of endearing now."

Raoul smiled knowingly. "Things often seem better in retrospect," he said, "Unless the things that you fall into are better than the ones that you left behind."

Bonnie glanced over at him and noted that he was staring at Aimee. "You're talking about Aimee?" She asked, though she knew the answer.

"I talk of little else," he said.

"Then wouldn't it have been easier for you if you had stayed in France instead of coming back here?" Bonnie asked.

"Of course it would have been easier," Raoul said, "But Aimee and I have never believed in taking the easy way out. One cannot affect change that way."

Bonnie gave a more genuine smile at his words. These were the people that she had come from. People that had been erased from the town's history but had more strength and character than its founders whom were given a parade each year.

Bonnie sprang to attention as Thomas approached them and offered her his arm. At Raoul's nod she took and allowed herself to be led across the room toward one of the other girls that would be participating in the nights festivities, if that was the word that should be used.

The girl smiled as they walked toward her. Bonnie was a little intimidated by her tall slim frame. She wore a pale blue dress that the deep rich dark color of her skin. Her eyes were the color of espresso with flecks of black and her features had an angular sharp quality to them.

"This lovely lady here is Emmanuelle Fontaine." Thomas said, as they stopped in front of her, "If anyone can help you navigate through the ball she can."

"You flatter me, Thomas," She asked, waving the fan in her hand in his direction.

"I give praise where it is due, ma belle," Thomas said with a wink, before he introduced Bonnie by name.

"It is a wonder that Aimee still lets you near her girls as much as you like to flirt," she laughed. She eyed Bonnie and she squirmed in her gaze in response. "You are a pretty little thing," she said, "You should fare well tonight."

Bonnie blinked at the complement. "Thank you," she said, "But I would appreciate any advice that you could give just the same."

Emmanuelle tapped her fan against her hand as she thought. "Well," she said, "Most white men do not take rejection well. Particularly, if it comes from a colored woman. A lot of these men like to consider these systems an act of charity when really in many ways it could be considered the other way around."

"This on has a mouth on her," Thomas laughed, "Which is all fine in well unless the wrong person hears her."

"Not to worry, Thomas," Emmanuelle said, "I know how to play my role well. I will be on my best behavior. You can be sure of that. I know very well what could happen if I am not." She turned toward Bonnie, and her face grew serious, though her eyes held a playful edge. "The best advice I could you Miss Bonnie," she said, "Is that if you are not interested, then act politely interested. And if you are interested, then act overly so. If you have an itch never scratch it. If you cannot stop an unpleasant expression before it appears on your face then hide it behind your fan. And always laugh at the jokes, especially the terrible ones."

As Thomas shook his head and Emmanuelle winked, Bonnie couldn't help laugh just a little in spite of her nervousness.

"Perhaps I have chosen the wrong mentor for you," Thomas said.

Bonnie shook her head. "No, she is perfect," she said, grinning, "I will be sure to take the advice to heart." She may have been out of time but at least she was in good company.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Raoul Mercier took the glass of bourbon that Damon offered him as he sat down on the couch in front of the fire place. They had arrived at the Salvatore boarding house, having left the ball shortly after Raoul's sudden surprise appearance.

Damon sat down across from Raoul, watching as his brother took off the jacket to his tuxedo and sat down next to Raoul.

"Which would you like to explain first?" Damon asked, looking at Raoul, "The fact that you're alive or the fact that Bonnie somehow managed to get herself stuck in 1864?" Damon had tried calling her five times already, getting no answer each time. As much as he had doubted the memories that had suddenly surfaced were real, he was forced to accept that they were.

"Which would like to hear first?" Raoul asked, taking a sip from his glass.

"We want to know about Bonnie," Stefan said, as he tossed his jacket aside. He looked toward Damon and wasn't surprised when his brother nodded in agreement.

"Are you sure about that?" Raoul asked, "Because from the looks of things you two are quite over, ma poupée. At least if that doe eyed little waif that you were parading around was any indication. She is pretty to be sure but rather thin and childlike in her mannerism. There is likely nothing you can do about her personality but at least you can try to feed her more."

"Raoul," Stefan pressed, choosing not to comment on the man's assessment of Elena, 'Please tell us what is going on. How did Bonnie travel through time and why are we just no remembering her?"

They had left Elena with Caroline Forbes, trusting that the girl would get her home safe. They had given very little explanation as to their whereabouts and Stefan suspected there would be calls and questions from her sooner or later. But they would deal with that when the time came.

"You are just now remembering," Raoul said, regaining Stefan's attention, "Because my lovely wife orchestrated it that way. She did not want Bonnie's presence to interfere with the timeline and so she erased it from the town's memory. Those who knew her then and were still alive would remember once she went back. Everything comes full circle that way."

"Aimee?" Stefan asked, "If you are alive then-"

"Yes," Raoul nodded, "Mon amour, lives. Or at least I hope that she is alive, because if she is not then I have no idea who that woman in bed with me last night was."

Damon rolled his eyes, and sighed. "Cut the crap, Raoul," he said, "How did Bonnie go back?"

Raoul pulled the pocket watch out of his pocket, once more. "By the same means in which she will return here," he said, "A watch, very much like this."

"A watch?" Damon blinked.

Raoul nodded. "The process is called leaping," Raoul said, "We discovered it in 1864 on our quest to get Bonnie a means in which to return home. The gentlemen who sells the watches is an odd sort of fellow but he leaped for some time. These people they travel in and out of time and the spirits allow it as long as there is no disturbance to the timeline. What is fated to happen must still happen and all of that. That is how I am before you now. Aimee, Thomas, and I have been leaping for the past five years. For me that is how long it's been since I have seen you. We started after Bonnie left. And we have to make sure that she went back you see because without her, we never would have discovered the truth of the watches and we never would have starting leaping in the first. Aimee would have really been killed and I would have been destroyed in the process."

Damon and Stefan looked at him as if he had spontaneously sprouted wings. "So you have been traveling through time," Stefan said, "Doing what exactly?"

"Experiencing things," Raoul said, shrugging, "Doing favors for the spirits. Realigning things when they become askew. We have been in this time for a few months. We are hoping to settle here for a while as we would very much like to spend some time with Bonnie when she returns."

"And when will she return?" Stefan asked.

"A few months in the times is in," Raoul said, taking another drink, "But for us in this time it will only seem like a week and a few days."

Damon frowned as he considered Raoul. The man was a lot of things, but he was never known to be a liar. Still he was having a hard time processing what Raoul was saying. "I am going to need some real concrete proof before I buy any of this,' he muttered.

Raoul sighed, shaking his head. "Of course you precious memories are no proof enough," he said, "Aimee always said our Bonnie could do better. Now I am very much inclined to believe her." He stood walking toward the book shelf in the corner of the room, scanning the spines of the books there. "You have had the proof all along, boys," he said, "Right here in front of you had you bothered to look."

They watched as Raoul pulled a first edition copy of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens from the shelf. He walked over to Stefan and placed the book in his hands.

Stefan knew the particular memory that was tied to the book, but he wasn't sure how that was proof. "Open it," Raoul said.

Stefan opened the cover of the book and flipped through the pages. He stopped when he came to a page that was marked by an envelope. There was a line underlined. "_I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be."_ Stefan closed his eyes a moment before he took out the envelope out from between the pages. He opened the envelope and pulled out what was inside. His eyes widened as he realized that it was a photograph.

"What is it?" Damon asked.

Stefan swallowed, before handing the picture over to Damon. He took the picture from Stefan's hand and flipped it over. As he looked down at the worn sepia colored exposure he was surprised to see Bonnie staring back at him.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia 1864**_

Bonnie sat down on the fountain in the courtyard just outside of the ballroom. She had grown tired of wearing a fake smile and being followed around and virtually groped by George Lockwood and Johnathan Gilbert. She felt stiff and dejected. They were basically expected to sell themselves to these men and watching it go on was almost as bad as having to participate in it.

She wanted to go home. She wondered if Abby was worried about her. If anyone outside of Abby would actually notice that she was gone. Perhaps they would figure it out eventually. When they need a spell or when something went wrong that they wanted her to fix.

Bonnie took off the white gloves on her hands tossed them on the ground. Even as she missed home she didn't necessarily like the idea of going back to what she had left. But she knew that she did not belong here. This was not her world. She did not know how she could fit into this time or this place. She was in a sort of limbo and she didn't know how to get out of it.

Bonnie muttered a curse as she felt herself start to cry. This was not the time or the place for tears. Still the more she wiped at her face, the more the tears seemed to fall.

"Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before─ more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle."

Bonnie looked up at the sound of the voice and was surprised to find Stefan Salvatore walking toward her. She frowned as she thought about his words. She had heard them somewhere before. Or rather she had read. "Charles Dickens," Bonnie said, clearing her throat.

Stefan nodded, smiling as he hesitantly sat down next to her. "Great Expectations," he said, "Have you read it?"

"There was a long hard time when I kept far from me the remembrance of what I had thrown away when I was quite ignorant of its worth," Bonnie responded.

Stefan looked surprised and then pleased. "You have read it," he said, as he took a handkerchief out of his breast pocket.

Bonnie's eyes widened as he held the handkerchief out to her in offering. She studied him a moment, and saw something that she had seen when she had first met. A goodness there that she thought had been a lie. "Thank you," she said, taking it from his hand.

"You are very welcome," Stefan said, and then, "Would it offend you very much if I asked you why you were crying just now?"

"Thinking of home," Bonnie said, simply as she dabbed at her eyes. It was a surreal thing, sitting next to a human Stefan Salvatore. Once who seemed all innocence and boyish charm. The music wafting out from the inside reminding Bonnie that she was indeed at a quadroon ball.

"Are you far from home?" Stefan asked. She was the first woman that he had spoken to all night. Partially because, she was Raoul's kin and it felt safe to do so; and partially because he was inexplicably drawn to her.

Bonnie laughed. Technically she was in her home town, but she was very far from home indeed. "Yes," she said, "And no." Bonnie turned her body toward him, and the movement seemed to startle him slightly as their eyes met. She wondered for a moment if she was being improper. However, she didn't really care as this was Stefan. And though she did not know this Stefan, he was familiar. "Can I ask you why you came here tonight?" Bonnie whispered, "I'm it's not sit out here with me quoting Charles Dickens and wiping my tears."

Stefan swallowed, looking away from her unwavering gaze a moment and then back again. She seemed to him otherworldly as the moon shined down on her face. When one took her features in one at a time there did not seem to be anything special about them but together; her eyes, her lips, everything seemed to come together and form something that was both enticing and unexpectedly beautiful. "Would you prefer the answer that I am supposed to give or the truth?" He asked, once he was able to get out of his own head.

"The truth," Bonnie said, seriously, "I don't believe lies are necessary when you're not in a life or death situation."

"That is an odd way of viewing things," Stefan murmured, looking away from her again. When she shrugged, he sighed. "My brother and I have been friends with Raoul for some time," he said, "We owe him a great deal. We are here out of a sense of duty to him. My brother seems to be carrying on just fine but I am a bit overwhelmed by both the atmosphere and the company."

Bonnie's eyes narrowed. She knew it was not the normal town's folk that caused such a reaction because Stefan likely saw them every day. "Is it interacting with the women that have you out of sorts or the people of color?" Bonnie asked, being sure to keep her tone less accusatory and more curious.

Stefan coughed loudly. It was a very brazen question, asked in a very blunt manner. A much unexpected thing from a woman of any race. But she was kin with Aimee and in Raoul's letters he had always told Stefan that Aimee had never shied away from saying any thought that entered her mind. "Both," he said, reluctantly, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"An honest answer," Bonnie smiled, "I'm surprised."

"Well," he shrugged, "It is not a matter of life and death and so I thought that honesty would be appropriate."

"I happen to be out of my element as well," she said, thinking that it was the biggest understatement of the century, "So I will not judge you." She glanced at his attire, trying to laugh at the picture that he made, as she was sure the tux he was wearing was very fashionable for the time. "Well I might have to judge you for wearing your bowtie so crooked," she said.

Stefan looked down at himself. "Is it crooked?" He asked. The frown her wore and the look of concern making Bonnie snicker just a little.

"Here," Bonnie offered, placing the handkerchief in her lap, "I'll fix it."

Stefan watched as she reached out her small hands and adjusted his tie. It was a wonder that no one had come looking for them by now. "Do you like other literature?" Stefan asked, more to distract himself from the fact that she was touching him than anything else, "Do you read anything other than Dickens?"

Bonnie nodded. She had only known Dickens because she had been forced to read during her sophomore year of high school. She had grown to appreciate it but it was not the type of literature that she usually read. "Nothing you would be familiar with," she said. She brushed off his shoulders and then pulled her hands away once she was done. "There," she said, "Now you are presentable enough to try your luck with the women."

"I seem to be doing well with one at least," Stefan blurted and then chastised himself for it soon after.

Bonnie blinked at him, not really knowing how to respond. Clearly he had not encountered Katherine yet, as no one seemed to know of her when Bonnie mentioned her to Aimee. So it would stand to reason that it would be possible that he could show interest in someone else. However, Bonnie could not compute that that someone else was her.

Bonnie cleared her throat, replacing her gloves on her hands. She turned back toward him and opened her mouth to speak but it snapped shut as she heard the sound of footsteps.

They both stood quickly and as Stefan took a step away from her Bonnie was sure that at least some part of what they were doing was improper.

She frowned as George Lockwood came into view. His eyes zeroed in on her and Bonnie wanted to run. "There you are Miss Bennett," he said, "I have been looking all over for you. I thought that you might want to join me for another dance."

Bonnie wanted to say no but at the same time she did not want to face the potential consequences that might come with refusing him.

The sound of more footsteps came Bonnie hoped that it was someone that could save her. She sighed in relief as Damon Salvatore, came into view and she gave him a pleading look over George Lockwood's shoulders. As he raised an eyebrow at her Bonnie realized that she was not in her time. And suddenly she missed Damon the vampire. Damon whom even if she did not get along with or like, she could silently communicate with and seemed to work with rather seamlessly when the time called for it.

"Shall we?" George asked, holding out his hand. He phrased it as a question but Bonnie saw it for what it was. Not an invitation but a demand.

Bonnie's hands clenched into fists at her side and she bit her bottom lip. Stefan hesitated before taking a step forward, but Damon moved quicker walking around George and offering his own hand to Bonnie. "Sorry George, old boy," he said, offering him an apologetic smile, "but Miss Bennett already promised the next dance to me."

Bonnie mouthed the words, "Thank you," as she took his hand. Damon nodded, as he led her around George and back in the direction of the ballroom.

"I have to warn you," Bonnie leaned in to whisper, once they were far enough away, "I can't really dance. At least not the way you dance."

"Not to worry, Damon smirked, "I give you permission to step on my toes if the need comes."

Bonnie couldn't help herself she rolled her eyes in his direction. "How very chivalrous of you," she smiled.

"I do try to be good and dutiful southern gentlemen, Miss Bennett," Damon responded.

"Really?" Bonnie asked, "I had heard quite the opposite from every source that I have come across so far." Damon stopped walking and Bonnie froze. She had gotten to comfortable. This was what they did. Banter, go back and forth. But this wasn't the Damon that she knew and this was not the time when she didn't have to be careful of things that she said.

Bonnie let out a sigh of relief when Damon laughed. "Been talking Raoul have you?" he asked, shaking his head, "Well, I assure everything that he said about me is…." He looked around as if afraid that they were being watched, before he leaned down toward. "Absolutely true," he whispered.

Bonnie covered her mouth to hide her smile. If nothing else she found relief in the fact that certain things remained the same in regards to Damon and Stefan. Thinking of Stefan, Bonnie turned in the direction they had come from and found him following behind with a chattering George Lockwood.

As their eyes met, Bonnie was uncertain at the look that he was giving her. She decided not to dwell on it as she continued to walk at Damon's side. Aimee would be sending word to her contacts in New Orleans in the morning, and Bonnie hoped that that meant that she would be going home soon.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Stefan Salvatore ran his hands over the spine of the worn copy of Great Expectations and frowned. He was still supposed to be without emotion and yet…Yet, it seemed that he had never felt so much since he had gotten turned. He did not know what to do with the information that he had been given.

He wondered if it would have been less confusing had he not been made to forget the things that he now remembered.

He had once told Bonnie that the answers to everything in life could be found in the pages of the right book. He had been young, a student, and idealistic. He wasn't even sure that he had believed it when he said it, and he believed it even less now. However, not knowing what else to do, Stefan opened the book in his hand to random page and began reading at the top of it.

_"Love her, love her, love her! If she favors you, love her. If she wounds you, love her. If she tears your heart to pieces – and as it gets older and stronger, it will tear deeper – love her, love her, love her!"_

Stefan laughed as he shut the book. "Some advice," he muttered, shaking his head.

"What's so funny?" Damon asked, as he walked into Stefan's room without knocking. When Stefan's only response was a wave of his hand, Damon sighed. "Elena's here," he said, "Do you want to explain what's going on or should I?"

"I think we both should," Stefan said, "But first there's something I have to tell you. Something about me and Bonnie. Something that happened toward then end before we thought that she ran…"

Damon frowned, his jaw ticking slightly. "I already know, Stefan," he said, his face closing off, "I'm not stupid. I saw the way that you two looked at each other."

Stefan looked away, not wanting to be in this situation again. Not wanting another woman, coming in between him and his brother. "It never would have happened," Stefan said, "If I didn't….if I didn't love her."

"I know that too," he said. He looked like wanted to say more but his mouth snapped shut as he turned to leave the room.

Now angry with himself, Stefan tossed the book on top of his bed. It popped open and another line caught Stefan's attention. _"The broken heart. You think you will die, but you just keep living, day after day after terrible day."_

"Now that," Stefan said, "I agree with." Turning he followed Damon out of the room without looking back.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

When Bonnie Bennett awoke the next morning she had hoped that she had been having some sort of bad dream However, as she sat across from Aimee, not only did she find that she was not dreaming but she found that she was trapped in some sort of waking nightmare.

"The good news is that I have written to my contacts in Louisiana," Aimee said, "However, in that it will take for them to receive my later and find the watch vendor….it would not be a problem were it not for the fact that a few of the gentlemen from last night have shown interest in you. Not many of our girls were chosen but you were one. I refused them off course but a few were very persistent. George Lockwood in particular. He could not understand why he would not be able to form a contract with you until I told him that you had already come to an agreement with another."

Bonnie frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked, "Why would you say that?"

"Calm down," Aimee said, placating, "Please, just listen before you make any assumptions. I have your best interest in mind remember?"

Bonnie nodded, but she still couldn't stop herself from doubting Aimee's words. But she had no control over the situation and no options.

"It was Raoul's idea," Aimee said, "That you enter into a contract with Damon for your own protection. He has talked the matter over with Damon at length. No one expects anything of you, it will just be a piece of paper to keep the others at bay. They are looking at a house a few houses down from here."

"I can't stay with you?" Bonnie asked, feeling panic set in.

Aimee shook her head. "It would not be proper once you enter into the contract," she said, "But the house will be closed off to anyone who you do not wish to enter it and I will protect it through magical means of course. Besides, Thomas, Raoul, and I will be your constant companions. And Emmanuelle has shown interest and befriending you as well. She is not a witch, but she is a nice girl and as she has entered into a contract with Johnathan Gilbert, she will be need of friendship just as much as you. This will be temporary of course, until we can send you home." Bonnie still looked very ill at ease. "If it makes you feel any better," Aimee said, "There will be someone staying at the house with you. Corrine Rousseau, she has been with us for some time. Raoul's family in particular."

Bonnie caught on to what she was no saying. "I do not want to have a slave," she said, "I would rather stay in the house alone and take care of it myself."

"Corrine is free," Aimee said, "She was given her papers by Raoul some time ago. She stays with us out of loyalty like many others. Raoul and I do not own slaves nor do we believe in the practice. Everyone with us is compensated for the work that they do."

"Oh," Bonnie said, frowning, as it was clear Aimee had taken some offence to what she had assumed, "I apologize."

"No need," Aimee said, "It is a fair assumption as not everyone in our society shares our beliefs." She studied Bonnie and moment and then asked, "You wish to ask me something else?"

"Do I…," Bonnie said, carefully, "Do I have to sleep with him?"

Aimee gave her a look. "We would never have agreed if that was the case," she said, "Though, as far as the town is concerned the relationship will be a physical one, Damon has promised that nothing will happen that you do not wish to happen. And if something does, then you must tell us immediately. Do you understand?"

Bonnie nodded, still feeling uncertain. "Could I possibly," she said, "Talk this over with him?"

Aimee nodded. "He thought that you might," she said, "He is here now. I will go and retrieve him." Bonnie watched apprehensively as she stared after her.

She twisted and untwisted something over and over again in her hands and she looked down and found that she still had Stefan's handkerchief. She hadn't realized that she had kept, let alone that she had been carrying it around.

Frowning, Bonnie turned and stuffed the handkerchief into between the cushions of the couch that she was sitting on as she heard footsteps. She didn't think that it would seem right to be clutching something of Stefan's while she was making arrangements with his brother, even if the contract was supposed to be for show.

Bonnie stood as Damon entered the room, and greeted him with a forced smile, before she noticed the pieces of paper in his hands. "Is that the…?" Bonnie asked, trailing, unable to say the words aloud.

Damon nodded. "Raoul and I took care of everything," Damon said, "You will be well provided for and there will be nothing expected of you in return. I owe Raoul a great debt and I am doing this as a favor to him, so I do not want you to feel as if you are obligated to me. I am aware how the system works but Aimee made it clear that it is not something that you wish to be a part of. Had it been Lockwood or any other man I assure you they would not have shown restraint because you were uncomfortable with the arrangement."

_That's a delicate way of putting it_, Bonnie thought. "So you are just going to put me up in a house somewhere and never see me again as a favor to Raoul?"

"Not exactly," Damon said. He did not quite know how to broach the topic, but he knew that it had to be discussed. "If I do not come around a few times at least," he said, "It will look suspicious."

"Then what do you suggest?" Bonnie asked, curiously.

"Well," he said, placing the papers down on the table in the middle of the room, "In the beginning of Aimee and Raoul's arrangement they had come to an understanding. They formed a sort of friendship. I had hoped that we might do the same."

Bonnie didn't know what was more surreal, her current situation or the fact that Damon wanted to be her friend. "You want to be my friend?" Bonnie asked, to clarify.

Damon looked unsure for a moment. "Well I did enjoy your company last night," he said, "Even though you did step on my toes, I gave you permission so I cannot very well hold it against you." He smiled as Bonnie tried to hide her own. "See," he said, "You seem to find me tolerable at least. So a friendship between us would not be so impossible a thing would it?"

"No," Bonnie said, "I guess it wouldn't." Bonnie was not sure that it was possible, but she was sure that her situation could be much worse.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Elena Gilbert sat down in the seat that Raoul had occupied only moments before. Her ball gown was gone and she looked on in confusion as Damon held something out to her. Stefan was sitting on the other side of her, and the man whom she only knew by name was across the room leaning against a nearby bookshelf.

"What is this?" Elena asked, as she took the envelope from his hand.

"Open it," Damon said, without looking at her. He sat down across from her and next to Stefan as he waited.

Elena opened the envelope and took out the picture inside of it. She frowned as she studied it. "Is this a joke?" She asked, after a moment, looking from one Salvatore to another.

Stefan shook his head. "Bonnie got sent to the past tonight," he said, "She won't be gone long by our standards but for her it will be a couple months at least. Earlier, at the ball we were experiencing memories of her."

Elena frowned. She just knew that there was something that they weren't telling her. Something important. Something that she likely needed to hear. "Why do I get the feeling that you're not just telling me this because Bonnie is my best friend and you thought that I should know?"

Stefan glanced at Damon and the elder Salvatore sighed. "We have a past with her Elena," Damon said, "A past that is very different from our relationship with he at present." He wished that he had remembered, but he knew deep down that memory or no memory he should have treated Bonnie better in the first place.

"Different in what way?" Elena asked, feeling the need to press the issue.

The hesitated and Raoul huffed. "Tell the waif or I will," he said, "If you plan on pursuing my little doll when she returns then I suggest you both act like men or I won't give you my blessing."

"His what?" Elena asked, clearly confused.

"Don't pay attention to him," Damon said, "He's like Bonnie's great great grandfather or something I don't really entirely get how exactly they're related. But he isn't important. The truth is."

"And the truth is," Stefan said, seriously, "That we….that Bonnie was the first girl that either of us ever really loved."

"What?" Elena said, looking at them both in disbelief, "What about Katherine? And didn't you say you just remembered her now?"

"It doesn't matter," Damon said, "And she came before there was a Katherine. She came and she made us love; no lies, no manipulations, no compulsion…just her."

Try as she might Elena could not process what they were telling her. Her feelings for them both caused a sudden and illogical resentment toward Bonnie to begin to form. "What about now?" Elena asked, "How do you feel about her now?"

Both Damon and Stefan glanced at each other seemingly hesitant to speak while the other was in the room. "I think it's safe to say that we both still care about her," Stefan said, after a moment, "But we won't know for sure how we feel or how she feels until she gets back."

"Well," Elena frowned, "Then where exactly does that leave us?"

Damon sighed. He didn't want to do this with her again. It seemed childish and pointless, now that he had something other than Katherine to compare it to as far as loving someone went.

"Which one of them are you talking to?" Raoul asked, grinning when Damon glared at him.

Stefan frowned at the hurt look on Elena's face, but sadly he could say that it was a valid question. Still, it was clear that Raoul still had the habit of talking too much for his own good.

Elena waited for Stefan or Damon to come to her defense, and stood tossing the photo into Damon's lap when they didn't. "I can't do this right now," she said, "I have to go. I'll call Caroline and tell her what's going on. If you hear anything about Bonnie, or if you just want to talk then you know where to reach me."

They watched her go and Raoul noticed that neither of them moved to go after her.

"I still don't know which one of you she was talking to," he said, "Even in the end it was very confusing. She has very shifty eyes, that one."

"I still don't like you," Damon muttered. Raoul shrugged, laughing as Damon picked up a pillow from the couch and tossed it at his head.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

Giuseppe Salvatore sat across from the girl who had somehow managed to make his son forget himself. His back was straight, and his face serious. Bonnie, her name was. She was passable beauty for one of her race. Then again so was Aimee. But this arrangement would only last until he found a way to protect his son's without having to have Raoul's assistance to do it, and he thought that it would be best if she was aware of as much.

"I am not saying these things to upset you, Miss Bennett," he said, "Though, if I were I still would not regret my words. You simply must know that whatever arrangement my son made with you is not and could never be anything of permanence."

Bonnie pressed her lips into a thin line. She had sat through nearly twenty minutes of verbal abuse and veiled insults and had been forced to pretend that it was polite conversation over teat of all things. Corrine had gone in search of Aimee some time ago. The contracts had been signed but that did not mean that Damon's father was beyond letting his displeasure be known.

"You are and could never be a suitable match for him," Giuseppe continued, as he eyed her, "It is not just your skin, so do not think it is the only. Even without that you have no rank in society and your ties to Aimee and Raoul bring you even lower still. Damon perhaps believes that he is doing Raoul a service, but it means nothing outside of that. And once the town disapproves and chases you people out, and they will, your contract will be null and voice, no matter what terms you purposed. I am letting this indiscretion pass because of that knowledge and that knowledge alone. Whatever, impropriety my son takes up to with you will be forgiven in the eyes of God because he is doing so as an act of duty to the south. Your soul is damned being what you are, but I believe that if you bow out gracefully when the time comes that he may show even you some mercy. Do you agree?"

Bonnie wanted to hit, to set him on fire, to throw the tea cup in her hand against the wall, and pour remnants of tea still in the pot over his head because she knew it was still hot enough to scold his skin. However, what she did, was paste on a smile and bat her eyelashes disarmingly. Because a woman did not think, Emmanuelle had told her once their conversations had gone from playful to serious the night before, especially a woman of her color. She certainly did not form opinions outside of those of a man, and she never would dream of going against him. "Yes, Mr. Salvatore," Bonnie murmured, feeling more broken and abused than she had in her entire life. And she knew that the longer she stayed the worse it would get and it would not just come from him.

She was grateful when he stood in the next moment. "As long as you and I can see things as one," he said, "I trust that there will be no problems." He bowed, smirking, a mock sign of respect. "You have a lovely day, Miss Bennett."

Bonnie forced herself to see her out. Just as he left Corrine walked in. Bonnie stormed back into the living room and as Corrine followed her she let out a strangled sound of frustration.

Corrine's chocolate eyes followed her as she paced the length of the room. "Miss Bonnie," Corrine said, "You must calm yourself. Aimee and the others will be back soon."

"That fucking bastard," Bonnie spat, "He has no right! Raoul told me what he's doing for him, for Damon and Stefan and he still acts like he's so much better. He's nothing but an elitist racist bigot-" Bonnie's words were cut off as Corrine suddenly grabbed her by the wrists, her grip tight, as she shook.

"You shut your mouth," Corrine said, gravely, "You think those thoughts all you want to but let the right person hear you say them out loud and you are dead." Corrine let Bonnie go and pointed at the fire place. There was a fire there, where there had been none and Bonnie knew that it was her doing. It was lucky that Corrine already knew what she, Aimee, and Thomas were. "That man could get you killed with a few words," Corrine said, "And if any one finds out about your power you would be burned just like that and your ties to Aimee would get her killed too. And Thomas." Corrine met Bonnie's gaze as she took her face in her hands. "You need to be careful," she told her, "That man is not worth none of your lives. Now calm yourself. And you best get used to being talked down to. I assure you it will not be the last time. These people do not care about the free people of color. This is not Louisiana, and even there the elevation is a slight one. A nigger in a pretty dress is still nigger as far as these people are concern and you will do well to remember that."

Bonnie stepped away from her and felt her eyes water. "You probably think I'm silly," Bonnie said, "I'm sure you've dealt with much worse."

"It is not silly," Corrine said, "And it is not a small thing. You never get used to either. It hurts just as much every time. But it makes you stronger if you let it. You kept yourself from setting him on fire, so there a sign or strength right there."

Bonnie laughed, wiping her eyes. "There's the silver lining," she said. Corrine gave her a quizzical look and Bonnie opened her mouth to explain but stopped as there was a pounding at the door.

Frowning Corrine, turned toward the sound. "Get yourself together," she said, "I will answer the door."

Bonnie nodded, clearing her throat and wiping at her face once more. She knew that if was not Aimee or Raoul. They would never have knocked. She turned at the sound of footsteps, and was surprised to see Damon walking into the room and giving her an apologetic smile. Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest, nodding to Corrine as she excused herself.

"I tried to get her before him," Damon said, as he entered the room more fully, "But it seems that from your face I am too late." Bonnie said nothing as he took off his hat. "I am sure that he said things," Damon continued, "I am used to be demeaned and degraded by him myself and I can only imagine what-"

"I don't think that this should continue," Bonnie said, cutting him off.

"What do you mean?" Damon asked. He had spent the entire day making arrangements and the issue with his father was the only snag that he had hit. Still, his father would allow it to pass, now that he had had he say. That was the way that Giuseppe operated.

"I think you know what I mean," she said, "I know that you are doing this as a favor to Raoul out some weird sense of duty but it is obvious that your father-"

"This is no longer about Raoul," Damon interrupted stepping forward, "I am actually not very fond of him if I am being honest." Bonnie was taken aback as he grabbed both of her hands in his. "Since I signed those papers my duty is now to you," he said, his eyes narrowed, "I promise I will keep my word. All I am asking is that you trust me when I tell you that this…that I am your best chance."

Bonnie knew that it was either this or take her chances with George Lockwood so she didn't see much of a real choice. "Okay," she whispered.

No one besides Stefan and ever put their trust in him before, and Damon was determined to prove himself. "Thank you," he said, bringing one of Bonnie's hands to his lips and kissing the back of it before he let both of her hands go. "Now if you would excuse me," he said.

"Where are you going?" Bonnie asked, staring at her hand, then looking back at him oddly.

"To have a talk with my father," he said, "I am sure enough time has passed and Raoul has gotten to him first."

"He has been known to have a temper if I am not mistaken," Bonnie said, her lips twitching upward slightly.

"Yes," Damon nodded, "And my father has been known to be on the receiving end of it. Though, he has never deserved it more than now I believe." Damon put his hat back on his head and moved to leave. At the last minute he turned slightly. "Do no worry," he said, "Everything will be taken care of."

Bonnie nodded and watched him go. Corrine moved to enter the room but stopped when another knock came on the door a moment later.

When the person was let in Bonnie was not too surprised to see that it was Stefan. Bonnie nodded to Corrine as she excused herself once more.

"I passed my brother just now," he said, "He told me what happened. Are you alright?"

"As well as to be expected, "Bonnie said, wringing her hands together, and then, "I would rather not talk about it to be honest."

Stefan nodded. "That is understandable," he said, "Besides that's not the reason that I came to call on you."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow at him, but invited him to sit down just the same. Bonnie sat down next to him and looked at him quizzically. "Why did you come?" She asked.

Stefan smiled, as he pulled a book from his jacket. "I saw this at one of the shops in town and I thought of you," he said, as he handed her the copy of Great Expectations.

"Thanks," Bonnie said. She took the book and ran her hand over the cover. She smiled sadly, wanting to go home. "I have no idea what I am doing here," Bonnie sighed, speaking more to herself than to him.

"This might seem strange," Stefan said, "But when I find myself disheartened I get my answers when I think of something outside of the issue that is bothering me. It works best when I read."

Not having any other solution at hand Bonnie flipped open the book to a random page and began to read._ "Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but - I hope - into a better shape."_

Bonnie closed the cover and looked at Stefan, feeling slightly better. "It isn't strange," Bonnie said, "Not strange at all. Thank you."

Stefan nodded. "You may not know why you are here," Stefan said, quietly, "But I am glad that you are."

Bonnie had only agreed to her friendship with Damon out of necessity, but as she looked at Stefan, for the first time she was beginning to see a friendship with both Salvatore brothers as a real possibility.

_**End Notes: So next chapter there will be some back story on Corrine, magical bonding with Bonnie, Thomas, and Aimee, Bonnie has her first encounter with slaves and Stefan reveals more to her about their relationship with their father. In present time Aimee talks to Bonnie and Thomas begins to make preparations for Bonnie's return, and Caroline confronts the Salvatores about Bonnie's whereabouts. **_


	3. Part Three: The Swing

**Title: **The Gods of Virginia

**Rating: **M

**Genre:** AU/AH, Time Travel/Romance

**Pairing(s): **Bonnie/Stefan, Bonnie/Damon, Matt/Katherine, Tyler/Caroline, Elijah/Katherine, etc.

**Summary:** When an accident sends Bonnie Bennett back to 1864, and circumstance forces her into becoming a "kept" woman, she is less than excited to find that Damon Salvatore will be the one for whom she will play _placée_, but it is the price she must pay to live amongst the _gens de couleur_, a society that holds the only ancestor she has with the power to send her home. However, Bonnie begins to interest Stefan Salvatore as well and to make matters worse Mystic Falls isn't ready to witness open concubinage between a white man and a black woman especially when that woman is suspected of witchcraft.

**Warnings:** Time Travel, Non-Canon, Racism, Sexual Content, Violence, Original Character etc.

_**Author's Note: So to address so issues in the reviews, there is no set endgame pairing at this point. I am of the mind that whatever happens, happens. If at some point I do decided then you will know when I know. Anyway about this chapter, there is a brief mention of whip related wounds, so if you are easily squicked you can skip that part. So this part is heavy on the bamon which means next part will likely feature more stefonnie. I will likely alternate things that way. Also there will eventually be parts without so many time jumps. Starting next chapter it will be mostly in 1864, and so I will only mark when the time periods change, if you just see the page break symbol without anything telling you otherwise then I haven't changed times. So I am not one hundred percent in love with this update but I decided to post it anyway. No editing here so please excuse the errors.**_

**Part Three: The Swing**

_ When you live in society so hell bent on critiquing and policing your behavior, it is hard to remember who you are underneath. What is the act and what is genuine. It is hard to hold yourself accountable for your actions when they are dictated to you by someone else. But sometimes, there are rare people. People who challenge you and force you to put a mirror up to yourself. People who remind you that you do have a choice, and that your choices matter. And if you are not careful, very careful, in that moment when they force your own self upon you, you will lose a little bit of that self to them. In that moment, a piece of you will fall in love with them, and the rest of you, no knowing what else to do, will eventually fall and join it. _

― _From the journal of Damon Salvatore circa April, 1864_

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

The house that Bonnie had been moved into had nothing of her own. Her clothing was what Thomas' sister had left behind and spare dresses of Aimee. The furnishings were all owned and paid for by the Salvatore and on and on it went. Still it was a nice little two story house, and though Bonnie felt like she was intruding on someone else's space, she knew that it was at least meant to be hers.

Bonnie watched as Aimee began to put up wall hangings with odd symbols stitched in the patterns, in the living room. She had seen similar hangings in the house that Aimee and Raoul shared but she had not looked close enough before to see the odd symbols threaded into the fabric.

"Those symbols," Bonnie said, "What do they mean?"

Aimee turned to face, the skirts of the yellow dress trailing across the wooden floor as she did. "They are called veves," she said, "They act as beacons for the Loa or spirits within the vodou religion. You can use them to represent the Loa during rituals or as forms of protection as I am using them now. The representation obliges the loas to decend to earth when called upon." Aimee pointed to the symbols as explained which Loa the represented. The Veve of Ayizan, the loa of commerce, and associated with rites of initiation. The Veve of Baron Samedi and another for his wife Maman Brigitte; both representing death. The Veve of Damballa, the sky god and creator of all life. The Veve of Papa Legba, the guard of the crossroads, and intercessor between the loa and humanity. Then lastly the Veve of Ogoun; the spirit residing over, truth, war, creativity, and a list of other things Bonnie was unable to keep track of.

"I know that the magic that you practice is much different in nature," Aimee told her, "And so you don't have to embrace this. However, I find that it is best to know more than one way to protect yourself. I also believe that if you are capable of many types of magic then you should practice many types. The spirits place enough limits on our powers as it is. We should not limit ourselves."

Bonnie nodded, thinking of the times that she had been held back by herself, her friends, and the spirits. "I want to learn," she said, seriously.

Aimee smiled and nodded. "Good," she said, "I had hoped that you would say that." She looked at Bonnie a moment, as if she wanted to tell her something but wanted to gauge her reaction first. "In New Orleans; Thomas, Raoul, and I used to go on what we called night runs. We crept onto plantations and we aided the slaves as best we could. In Thomas and my case it was sometimes through magical means. We are testing the waters with that here as well, starting with the Salvatore plantation. There was an incident Raoul witnessed and there is a man in need of our help. You can come if you like. It would be a great learning process. You can see firsthand how some of the things that we make are used before you learn to make them yourself."

Bonnie frowned, as she was sure that there was something that Aimee was not telling her. "What is it that you are afraid to say?" Bonnie asked.

Aimee sighed, and looked away a moment. "We have become accustomed to seeing things that your have not," she said, "I have to warn you. If you go with us, that you will see some things that you will not wish to see. You do not have to come if you are prepared for that?"

Bonnie could guess at the types of things that she was hinting toward, but she made the decision to go anyway. "I'll come with you," she said, lifting her chin and meeting Aimee's questionings gaze. Bonnie wasn't sure that she was ready to see what Aimee was warning her away from but she had a feeling that she needed to bear witness to it just the same.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Abby Bennett watched has Aimee sat down across from her at the kitchen table in the house that she had once shared with her mother. The woman only seemed to look slightly older than the picture in the attic, but from what Abby had been told it was because for her only a few years had passed between the present and when the photograph was taking.

"I can't believe the sprits allow you to time travel," Abby said.

Aimee shrugged. "It only works when we don't screw with the timeline and most of the times we time leap to keep the time line from changing," she said, "It's the spirits way to make sure that what is meant to happen happens. That's why we had to make sure that Bonnie went back. We found out about the watches through her and so she was the reason that we started the time travel in the first place. If she hadn't have gone back then we never would have known about the watches, the leaping, and everything we have done up until this point would have been lost."

Abby didn't like it but Aimee had assured her that Bonnie was alright and would come out of the incident unharmed and so she decided that she would trust her. In truth she had no choice in the matter. "Is that the only reason that you came to this time?" Abby asked, "to make sure Bonnie went back to yours?'

Aimee shook her head. "We wanted to see her," she said, "And I needed to warn you."

Abby frowned as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Warn me about what?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"The witch," Aimee said, "Esther. The one that is a part of the original family. She has been sponging off the powers of the witches in our line for century. She is going to try to use you and Bonnie to kill her children. Not necessarily a bad thing but it would have it would have went really wrong really fast. It would have gotten you killed, or rather turned into a vampire in the end. But Bonnie leaving saved you from that path. However, we still need to unlink the woman from our line before Bonnie returns and I know the spell that needs to be done in order to do it."

"With the new adjusted timeline," Abby said, "What will happen if we don't unlink Esther from our line before Bonnie gets back?"

"Then she'll be the one that gets turned and that can't happen," Aimee sighed, "For more reasons than one. We just have to end this before Bonnie gets back and before Esther knows that we know."

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

As she walked into the cramped slave quarters Bonnie was hit hard with the metallic smell of blood. She gripped onto the sleeves of Thomas jacket as he was the one closest to her. Raoul and Aimee, were blocking her few of the person that they were there to help and Bonnie knew there was a reason for it.

Aimee turned to them with a large jar in her hands. She was explaining the properties of the ointment inside. How it was made, the ways in which it would heal the man. However, Bonnie wasn't listening. Her attention was solely on the man that was sitting backwards on a warn wooden chair. His back was exposed and Bonnie could see the angry wounds there. Large lashes, crisscrossing over one another, clearly from a whip.

Bonnie looked away, feeling the urge to sob and vomit all at once. It did not help that the man was so old, so frail.

"Come now," Thomas whispered into her ear, "I will take you outside."

Bonnie shook her head vehemently, taking a deep breath. She loosened her grip on Thomas before letting go entirely. They watched as she walked around the chair, and knelt before the man so that she could see his face.

The man opened his eyes, looking at Bonnie as if she were some sort of apparition as she removed the hood to her cloak. "Hello," Bonnie said, her voice soft and broken, "Can you speak?" At the man's nod she smiled just a little. "What's your name?"

"Solomon Hardaway, miss," he whispered.

"My name is Bonnie," she said, reaching up and touching his face, "And me and my family are going to help you."

Bonnie stood a moment later took the jar that Aimee offered to her. She listened as the Aimee told her how to apply the ointment. She nodded here and there, but her eyes kept straying to the wounds on Solomon's back.

Her hands shook as she opened the jar and applied the ointment. She almost laughed in relief as almost immediately the wounds began to close. She handed the jar to Aimee as the woman began to assist her.

"Do you have family Solomon?" Bonnie asked, partially because she curious and partially because she wanted to think about something other than what she was doing.

"I had a wife," he replied, "She was pretty like you."

"Well aren't you just the charmer," Bonnie smiled. She continued to talk quietly to him until they finished. She smiled halfheartedly as he thanked them.

As Aimee told him where to hide what was left in the jar Bonnie allowed Raoul to lead her outside. They walked silently until they were a well ways away and then Bonnie stopped as she began to wring her hands together.

"Bonnie," Raoul whispered as he studied her face, "You can let it out now, cheri."

That was all that Bonnie needed to hear and she began to sob. Raoul wrapped his arm around her trembling form and hugged her into his chest.

"You did well, petit mignon," he said, as she rubbed soothing circles on her back, "You were very strong and we all very proud."

Bonnie clung to him, not really listening. She tried to stop crying but she couldn't. The reality of the situation was beginning to sink in and Bonnie didn't know if she was strong enough to handle it.

"I don't feel strong," Bonnie murmured, as her tears finally quieted.

"One usually does not when one is at their strongest," his said, as Bonnie pulled away from him, "I believe that you will be just fine."

They turned at the sound of footsteps and watched as Aimee and Thomas walked toward them. Bonnie wiped at the tears on her face, not wanting to appear weak in front of them.

"You do not have to hide your tears," Aimee said, as if she had read Bonnie's thoughts, "You did very well for your first night. Thomas himself could not stomach his first time as well as you did."

Bonnie looked at Thomas in surprise and he shrugged, giving her a smile and a nod.

"You have done enough for one night," she said, "Thomas and I are going to visit the rest of the quarters. Raoul will escort you home. We can try again in a few days."

Bonnie nodded. She was determined to try again. As much as it hurt her to witness, to be subjected to the harsh reality of the suffering of her people within the time frame that she was in, she knew that it would hurt more if she were to do nothing. She supposed, as the thought came to her, that the strength that Raoul spoke of, was not entirely absent in her after all.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Damon Salvatore stood in front of his mother's grave, his eyes on the withered tombstone. It had been a while since he had been there, since he had ever wanted to be there. It was the memories that now haunted him that were forcing him to come.

After his mother had died, their father had shut down to the point of cutting off all emotion and all affection. They had not been allow to cry, to express their feelings, to feel anything outside of what their father deemed they should. Even Damon and Stefan's affection towards one another had been restricted when they were under their father gaze, at least it had been before Bonnie.

Bonnie was the first person after his mother had died to show him any sort of affection without expecting anything in return. The first who made him feel as if it was alright to feel.

He found it funny now as he thought back on it. She had never judged him. Even in this time, she was not passing judgment on him when she condemned his actions. It was just that she expected more of him, something better. He could see that now that he knew what to look for.

She had always expected more of him and there was a time when made him expect more of himself. A time when he would do anything for her. But now he didn't really know what to do. Wouldn't know what to do until she came back.

Once they had met she had been his guide in everything without trying. In the beginning she had not realized how much her words and actions meant to him. She had not realized how much he had grown to depend on her presence even in the earliest days of knowing her. But she had become everything, almost from first sight. It was amazing to him how just his lack of memory had changed the way that he looked at her, the way that he saw her in the present time.

But it wasn't just the fact that he had no memory of their time together, it was the experiences in between remembering and not remembering. He had, through them, changed and become a different person. Someone that the Bonnie that he knew in either time would likely not be able to even look at, let alone love.

"I know that I promised you that I would take care of her for as long as I could," Damon said, speaking aloud to his mother, "But what happens if she doesn't want me to anymore?"

There was no answer, and he wasn't expecting one.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

As Bonnie walked into the her house, thoughts of Solomon still fresh in her mind, she realized that no matter how long that she stayed in this time that she could not leave it unchanged. She could not shut her eyes to what she was witnessing now any more than she could shut herself off to the fact that she had become someone who let the world trample her and unlock the people around her she had a choice in the matter.

Perhaps that was why she was here. So she could see what it was like to have no rights, no choice, and no agency, and in seeing that learn to exercise her own when she returned.

Bonnie walked into the living room and turned on the oil lamp closest to her. She jumped as saw a lone figure sitting on her couch. She had to look closely to see who it was, but she frowned slightly as she made out the figure.

"Damon?" Bonnie asked, "What are you doing here?"

He was sitting on the couch, his jacket and tie thrown over the back of it. There was a glass in his hands filled with something brown and Bonnie was certain that it was alcoholic. Bonnie's frown deepened as she studied the worn look on his face.

"I wanted to see you," he said, Damon said, looking up at her. His blue eyes seeming duller than she had ever seen them.

It was clear to Bonnie that he would not be there if there wasn't something wrong. It was rather late and Bonnie knew that given the constraints that they had put on their arrangement, this was outside of the norm. She removed her cloak and sat it over a nearby chair. Walking across the room, she sat down next to him.

In truth, she wasn't necessarily in the mood to talk, but at the same time she wanted to get her mind off the things that she witnessed. Besides that she had offered him her friendship, and he had saved her from George Lockwood so in a way she felt she owed him. He was, at the very least more tolerable than his vampire counterpart.

Bonnie reached out and gentle pried the glass from his hands and sat it down on the table sitting in front of the couch. "Tell me what happened," Bonnie said, quietly.

"I tried to it but no matter what I said…,," he paused, running a hand over his face. Bonnie watched as he tugged at his hair, and a shadow of the temper that she was familiar with appeared.

Taking a deep breath, Bonnie took his hand in hers. "Calm down and start from the beginning," she said, softly.

Damon shook his head. "I was wrong to come here," he said, "Wrong to bother you."

"There's a reason you are here," Bonnie said, not really knowing why it was that she cared so much that he had someone to talk to, "A reason you came to me and not anyone else."

"I have been standing up to my father later," Damon said, "I wanted to before. But I never did. You are part of the reason I think. From the first time I saw you I felt like I could live outside of what was expected of me. That I could do more than just fall in line. That there was another choice."

"There's always a choice, Damon," Bonnie sighed, "Just because someone expects something of you doesn't always mean it's the right thing. Especially if we're talking about your father."

Damon smiled, shaking his head. "When we were drawing up the contract," he said, "Raoul said that you would be good for me. I hate it when he's right."

"Are you ready to tell me what happed?" Bonnie asked, after a moment of silence.

Damon squeezed her hand, before letting it go. He wasn't sure how much to tell her and how she would react. "I was going to come to see you sooner," he said, "To make sure that you were settled in. But then I heard that one…one of the slaves was getting punished for working too slowly in the fields. Solomon. The man is old enough to be my grandfather, and used to working in the house besides. Yet, my father expects him to do the work of twenty men. But it is not really about the work, he wants to punish him for what happened to my mother."

Bonnie frowned as her mind went back to Solomon's wounds. With his age, and the extent of them, had it not been for Aimee they would have likely got infected and killed the man. "What do you mean what happened to her mother?" Bonnie asked, wanting to change the subject, and trying to silently control her growing anger.

"She died," Damon said, "When we were very young. Consumption. My father has been like this ever since then. He drank in the beginning but then he just shut down and immersed himself in work and hate. He unapproachable and unaffectionate. Solomon….used to work in the house as I said. He was caring for my mother before she died. Father blamed him for her death and sent him to the fields."

Bonnie silently took in the information he was giving her and waited for him to continue. Her hatred of Giuseppe Salvatore was growing, at the same time a plan was forming in her head.

"He never beat him before," he said, "But today something in him…I am unsure but I have never seen that look on my father's face before. Perhaps because he feels he is losing control over me, and perhaps it is because he felt powerless to protect me and Stefan when Raoul could. I am not sure but there was no excuse for what he did. I tried to stop it but I could not. I never like it when it happens, but I always turned away and it is rare for him to have slaves beaten. But with Solomon, I had to speak. But I changed nothing,"

Bonnie wasn't sure what to say and so for a moment she didn't say anything. "At least you spoke," she said, "You didn't keep quiet." She couldn't tell him that Aimee had healed Solomon, not without revealing what they were. "Perhaps the damage was not as bad as you think," she said, "Perhaps he is stronger than you think."

"Perhaps," Damon said, looking ready to pick up the glass again.

"If I ask you to do something for me," Bonnie said, slowly, "Would you try and make it happen?" Damon frowned, turning toward her and studying her face before he nodded. "When Solomon is well enough," she said, "Instead of sending him to the fields…perhaps he could come here and work with Corrine, for me."

"I had thought about it," he said, "When we were drawing the contracts. But I was certain that you would not want slaves."

"I don't," Bonnie answered honestly, "But if it will spare him the abuse then I can live with the discomfort."

"Then I will do what I can," Damon said, feeling slightly better about the situation now that there was something proactive that he could do, "My mother would have wanted me to do right by Solomon. They were very close from what I remember."  
"What was she like, your mother?" Bonnie asked, both out of curiosity and because she wanted to change the subject. She was happy that she could possibly spare Solomon further abuse but at the same time she hoped that Giuseppe would not target others in his place.

She was surprised Damon even cared. Damon as a human was very different than she had imagined he would me. She expected more arrogance and more selfishness. She didn't know if he had always been this way or if she was changing things already.

"She was kind," Damon said, "Sweet, loving, affectionate. She used to sing to us. I miss that. But I miss talking to her the most. Being free to talk. Being on the receiving end of her hugs, her kisses. I could not go to her grave, I've never been there. Stefan goes all the times. Talks to her. But I think it is because he barely remembers her. It makes him feel close to her. I have not felt as close to anyone since then she died, not even Stefan. I cannot talk to anyone about her because Stefan does not remember and my father wishes to forget."

"You're talking to me," Bonnie pointed out.

"You are easy to talk to," Damon said, scratching the back of his neck, "You just sit there listening quietly. It makes me wonder what you are thinking."

Bonnie was thinking a number of things. Most of it comparing the Damon she had known to this one. The contrast between the two was odd, but it didn't escape her that that they had some similarities as well. She felt that she was beginning to understand how this person could become who he was when she left, especially after being manipulated by Katherine and turned into a monster. Still she thought that he should be held accountable for his actions. She wondered if she could have the same effect on him as a vampire. If she could make him see things beyond the selfish box he placed them in and actually make him think about his own actions and the actions of the people around. In a way she had, in tiny passing moments. But even now she wasn't why she cared one way or the other.

"I would like to give you a hug," Bonnie said, surprising them both. She blamed it on the sympathy she had for him at the loss of his mother. She had felt that same way when she had lost her Grams, and this Damon at least, had no part in it. Besides she had her own responsibility in that as well.

"Why?" Damon asked, his voice soft, his expression looking shocked at the thought of anyone outside of his brother would want to.

"You said you wanted to be friends," Bonnie shrugged, "That's what friends do. And I feel like you need it."

Damon stared at Bonnie for a long time. She waited, not wanting to push him. After a long moment he nodded.

Bonnie hesitated, realizing belated that she was about to hug Damon of all people. But as she looked at him she saw something there that she had never seen before and whatever it was it caused her to move forward. Carefully she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her.

It took him a while to return the embrace but he did, he hugged her much tighter than Bonnie had expected. Still she rested her head on his shoulder and began to hum lowly. Some old lullaby that she barely remembered Abby singing to her from her own childhood. She didn't pull away as he buried his face in her neck. As she felt his hot tears and listened to the muffled sobs, Bonnie realized that even though consciously she had known that he was human, this was the first time since she arrived that she recognized him as not monster but man.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Elena Gilbert was not really surprised by the reaction that she had gotten after she told Caroline Forbes the story that she herself had been told by the Salvatore brothers. None of it made any since, particularly Bonnie being involved with Stefan and Damon, even if they had been human at the time. Though, Caroline was more concerned with the thought of Bonnie being in another time than anything else.

"What do you mean she's in 1864?" Caroline asked, blinking at Elena. She had asked that question at least twice already.

When Elena had showed up at her door step with an unbelievable story and even more unbelievable reaction to said story Caroline didn't really know what to say. She couldn't say that it surprised her that Elena was harping on Bonnie's involvement with the Salvatore when the real issue was that Bonnie was missing and the only explanation for it was something that was unfeasible. However, that didn't make her any less annoyed with the whole thing.

"Just what I said," Elena sighed, "They had a picture and everything. They said that it won't feel like she's gone that long for us but for her it will be longer. I'm only telling you because I thought that you should know and I didn't want you to find out another way if you were looking for her or had contacted her before she got back."

"Do you actually buy any of this?" Caroline asked, "Bonnie could be somewhere hurt and alone and we're just supposed to believe she just so happens to be a little over a hundred years in the past?"

Elena frowned. She wasn't sure what sort explanation Caroline wanted. "Well I am taking Stefan and Damon's word at face value," she said, "If you want to interrogate them go ahead but they're just going to tell you exactly what they told me."

"You could at least try to seem like you're worried," Caroline huffed.

"I am," Elena said, "But it isn't like we can do anything. Besides they said that she was fine and that she would come out of this unscathed. And since apparently both Stefan and Damon were in love with her I'm sure they're taking good care of her."

Caroline blinked. "Do you hear yourself?" she asked, "Bonnie is hypothetically. In the middle of the Civil War era in the south and you're worried that she could be cozying up to Stefan and Damon as humans. You do realize that if this is true that her being black and a witch on top of that could put her in all types of danger."

"Like I said," Elena stated as she stood, "They said that she was taken care of. She apparently had family here during that time. If you don't believe me then you can go talk to them yourself. Either way its not like we can go and get her so we'll just have to wait it out."

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

Bonnie watched as Stefan and Raoul positioned the piano forte in the small parlor of the house that she now resided in. She had mentioned to Aimee that music sometimes helped her keep calm and that her grandmother had been teaching her to play before she died and that was all that it took.

Bonnie stepped forward and ran her hand over the lid as Stefan and Raoul stepped back. It was a beautiful instrument, made of rosewood with butterflies engraved into the surface. Bonnie smiled, as she sat down in front of it.

Stefan sat down next to her and opened the book full of sheet music he had purchased in town. "I'll turn the pages for you," he offered.

It had been days since the incident with Damon and she had not seen him since then. She was worried but Stefan always said that he was fine when she asked. She was actually growing rather comfortable in his company as he was her constant companion when he was not at school. Between Stefan, Raoul, Thomas, Aimee, Corrine, and Emmanuelle, Bonnie was rarely ever alone and she was becoming rather accustomed to her situation even if she still missed home.

Bonnie began to play a rather complicated piece. She missed a few notes, but Stefan didn't seem to notice. "You play very well," he said, "Your grandmother was a great teacher."

"She was great at most things," Bonnie said, "She took very good care of me before she passed."

"Is that why you came here with Aimee?" Stefan asked, "Raoul told me that your mother left when you were very young."

Bonnie nodded. She didn't know how actual details of her life kept slipping out around them but it did. It was perhaps because everyone seemed so interested in her and she wasn't used to being the center of anyone's attention. "She came back before I left," she said, "We were coming to an understanding I think. I actually kind of miss her."

Stefan frowned at the sudden sad look on her face. "Would you like to play another?" He asked, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

"These seem very complicated," Bonnie sighed, "I'll probably have to practice before I get really good at any of them."

"What about songs that you know?" Stefan asked.

Bonnie shook her head. She doubted that she could get away with playing jazz music like her Grams used to, it would probably freak everyone out. Bonnie looked around and realized that Raoul and Aimee had left the room. She wondered a moment where they had gone before her mind ran over the very few classical pieces that she knew that she could possibly get away with playing. "Wait a minute," Bonnie said, a thought coming to her, "I thought you had a recitation to do in school tomorrow. Aren't we supposed to be practicing?"

Stefan mad a noncommittal noise as he flipped through the pages of the music book. "It is only King Lear," he said, "I could recite that in my sleep."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow at him. "And you're admitting that out loud?" She asked.

"I am extremely proud of my literary prowess," Stefan said, theatrically, dusting of his jacket, "Thank you very much, Miss Bennett."

Bonnie bit back a laugh, as she began to run over the list of songs she knew once more. It was weird to her how easy it was to interact with him. Then again it wasn't. It had been somewhat easy before, in her time when she hadn't known what he was. And now there was no vampire barrier in between them.

Thinking of home made her think of her friends and out all of them she had to say that she missed Caroline the most. She missed Elena and Jeremy as well, but Jeremy had already been in Denver when she had left and Elena had been wrapped up in Stefan, so Caroline was the only one Bonnie had been spending any time with before she had gone.

She wondered for a moment what Elena would think of Bonnie being in this time and befriending Stefan and Damon as humans. She rather quickly decided not to think about it, however. This Stefan and this Damon were human and untouched by the Petrova and so in a way Bonnie was almost able to separate them completely from the ones in her time.

"Have you thought of any songs yet?" Stefan asked, regaining Bonnie's attention.

Bonnie thought of the last time she had felt normal. It was when she had been watching a movie with Caroline over a month ago now, Amélie. There was a song in the film that Bonnie had learned to play because Caroline had said that she liked it, but with the Originals and finding her mom, Bonnie had yet to play it for her. Figuring that she could play it for someone at least Bonnie decided to give the song a try.

"I'll play it," she said, "If you help me."

Stefan shook his head. "While I do not my listening," he said, "I am hopeless when it comes to playing. I would embarrass us both."

"Give me your hand," Bonnie said, "I show you which keys to much. Just hit them when I nod. I'll make it easy on you and only give you three."

"Very well," Stefan said, placing his hand in hers. He watched as she positioned his hands on the keyboard. "Does this song have a name?" He asked, to distract himself from the fact that she was touching him.

"Comptine d'un autre été l'après midi," Bonnie whispered, "I learned it for a friend but she never got to hear it. I left before I could play it for her. So you are my new intended audience."

They went over the song with him before they began to play. Bonnie laughed at the befuddled expression on Stefan's face in the beginning. By the end they were in tune and Stefan asked to play it again. Bonnie nodded and they began again.

"I never knew I was so musical," Stefan said, as they finished.

Bonnie gave him a look, as she ran her fingers over the piano keys. "I am the one who did all of the real work," she said.

"That is debatable I think," Stefan grinned.

Bonnie was about to respond when they heard the clearing of a throat, coming from behind them. They turned to see Damon standing in the doorway. Bonnie smiled, at him, and then smiled wider when she realized who was standing next him.

Solomon nodded at both Stefan and Bonnie as Damon stepped forward. The older man looked much changed from when Bonnie had last seen him the night she had went to his quarters with Aimee and the others. His brown skin had lost its gray pallor and his deep brown eyes held more life as he smiled at her.

"I can't believe you pulled it off," Bonnie said, turning toward Damon.

"It took some convincing," Damon said, "But it was either back down or press the issue until I got the results I wanted and so I stood my ground."

In that moment Bonnie was sure that she was as proud as Stefan looked. Solomon was one person out of many but at least she could rest easy about him, and the others would still get help from the night runs that she would start going on again soon with Aimee and the others.

"There is somewhere I want to go," Damon said, looking in between both Bonnie and Stefan, "And I want both of you to be there with me."

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Thomas La Belle had broken into many a home in his life. However, none was as big as Mikaelson Manor. It had taken him forever to try and find something that belonged to the witch that Aimee had told him about and even more time to figure out his way out of the manor.

It was a wonder that he had not been caught. However, he had come to find that though the Originals were powerful and vampires, they didn't tend to use their senses very much. One would have thought with heightened smell and hearing, that it would be second nature to be hyper aware of one's surroundings but it was exactly the opposite. Not only that but they seemed to let a number of things distract them, including but not limited to, their failed love lives and family drama. As far as missions given to him by Aimee, this one had not been that hard, he had expected much more from a vampire family of their caliber.

Thomas took the charmed box from his pocket and placed the necklace that he had stolen into it. No matter what anyone tried, no one would ever be able to open it outside of himself and Aimee.

He had parked his car a ways down the road, as not to draw suspicion. As he got inside he began to think about Bonnie.

While Raoul was of the mind that Bonnie being involved with the Salvatore upon her return was an inevitability, Thomas was not so sure. He had been silently watching Bonnie and friends for some time now and there were a very many factors at play, one of them being the fact that one of Bonnie's best friends was involved with the Salvatore men.

Thomas would not exactly be torn up if Bonnie decided to distance herself from Damon and Stefan upon her return, he didn't want to see her hurt. But there was nothing that he could do about that or her involvement with them. He had learned a long time ago to keep his mouth shut about the matter.

What he could do now, was keep her safe in another way. He could help Aimee with the spell that would unlink the Original witch from the Bennett family and restore the timeline to a point where none of them would be in any danger, because right now nothing else was more important than that.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

The graveyard was almost empty aside from a couple a few headstones down. The seemed to be more worried about staring and Bonnie, Damon, and Stefan than mourning for whoever they had come to see. Bonnie tried to ignore them but she knew exactly why they had been staring.

She looked away from them and continued to walk in between the Salvatore brothers as they headed toward their mother's grave.

"You said your mother left when she was young right?" Stefan asked, looking down at Bonnie.

Bonnie nodded. "Yes," she said, "She came back before I left but it was awkward. She missed a lot of my life and so it was almost like she was a stranger."

"Do you remember anything about her from when you were young?" Damon asked.

Bonnie wasn't sure where the questions were coming from, but assumed they were trying not to think too hard about what they were doing and where they were heading. "Not really," she said, "She was really distant toward the end. Before that I remember that she used sing to me and tuck me in at night. And there was this swing in our back year that by dad put up. She used to push me on so high that I would imagine that I was flying."

Bonnie hadn't really tried to remember all that much about her mother, the more that she thought about it. She had resented Abby and it kept her from thinking about the fact that there had been some good in their relationship, prior to her abandonment. Bonnie wondered if she would ever get to tell Abby as much in person.

They stopped in front of a tombstone that depicted an angel and read, "Mary Salvatore, loving wife and mother."

Bonnie was aware that this was the first time that Damon had come to see his mother since her death and so she knew that it was no small thing that he would want her there. She seemed to have integrated herself into their lives in a very short time and Bonnie wondered how much closer they would get before she went home. She also wondered what it would mean, if anything once she did manage to go back.

"I have been trying to get him to come here for years," Stefan leaned down and whispered in ear, "You are here just few days and it is almost like he is different person."

"Different good or different bad?" Bonnie asked, as she watched Damon kneel down and place a single rose in front of the tombstone.

"Good," Stefan smiled.

As Damon stood and whispered his goodbyes, Stefan moved to stand beside him, placing and supportive hand on his shoulder.

In that moment Bonnie felt like an outsider but she didn't mind it. While in her time she knew that they loved each other as brothers did, it was a very rare thing that she saw moments like this that passed between them. Moments when they actually seemed like real brothers. She hadn't really cared on way or the other before, but now that she actually was about to witness there closeness she was saddened at the thought that they had lost it.

Bonnie began to wonder about her own family. Had her grandmother been alive she knew that she would worry but again she wondered if Abby would do so. She wondered if her father would come back to town long enough to even know that she was missing. It was a sad and strange thing that the people in this time seemed to so more concern about her wellbeing than the ones in the time that she had left. The thought was so disconcerting that Bonnie felt the urge to run somewhere where she could be alone, even as a part of didn't want to be.

When Bonnie finally came out of her own head she noticed that both Stefan and Damon were staring at her. Bonnie gave them a questioning look as Damon held out a hand to her. Even so Bonnie took his hand and allowed herself to be pulled forward.

"Mother," Damon said, glancing down at Bonnie slightly, "This is Bonnie Bennett. She is the one that talked me into coming to see you, though I am not sure she really knows it. You would have liked her. She is one of the few kind and pure souls left to offer and in knowing her I have never been more grateful to know anyone since you. For the first time in a while I feel like you would be proud of me and she is a big part of the reason. So I have decided to promise both you and here today to take care of her for as long as I can."

Bonnie squeezed Damon's hand and smiled, her eyes watering just a bit. She felt the moment would have been more meaningful if she hadn't already experienced a version of him that was so different. There didn't seem to even be the slightest chance to her that any part of this Damon would be there when she returned to the present.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Caroline Forbes had come banging on the Salvatores door over an hour ago looking for answers and she wasn't happy when the ones that she got mirrored the ones that Elena had already given her.

Stefan had told her as much as he was willing to tell her, which was not a lot with the state that he was in. Still she felt as if she was missing something.

"So," she said, "If all Bonnie needs is this watch to get home and this Raoul guy has one then why doesn't he just go back and use the one he has to go get her?"

Stefan sighed, running a hand over his face. He had explained it already, but she didn't seemed to want to understand. "Because," he said, "He got the watch when they found the man that had them, which they did for Bonnie's sake, meaning….you know what forget it. Look, all you need to know is that if things don't play out the way they are supposed to play out then things could go terribly wrong. In order for them to do that then Bonnie has to stay where she is. It won't be as long for us as it is for her. For us she'll be gone for a week at the most or so I am told."

Caroline sighed. She wasn't happy with the situation but it was clear that there was not changing it. "So is what Elena said true?" she asked, "About you and Bonnie and Damon and Bonnie?"

Stefan shook his head. "That isn't really any of your concern?" Stefan sighed.

Caroline frowned, but didn't press the conversation. "I was just curious," she said, "I mean it isn't like she was in the best place with either of you when she left her and so I doubt it will be all sunshine and rainbows when she gets back."

"I know that," Stefan said, "I don't expect anything and neither does Damon."

Caroline considered him for a moment and frowned. "You look like you feel like you're dying," she said, "And according to everything that I've been told, not that you've flipped your switch, you're not supposed to feel anything."

"You should go," Stefan said.

Caroline stood. "If you are this bad now," Caroline said, "I wonder how bad you'd be with your emotions turned on. She obviously did a number on you. I didn't think she had it in her. I'm kind of proud."

"Leave," Stefan muttered.

"Fine," Caroline agreed, "But if Bonnie isn't back in a week then you'll be hearing from me again. Actually, you'll be hearing from me and keep hearing from me until I see her again."

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

Thomas was teaching Bonnie how to play draughts. In all actuality it was basically checkers, but he seemed to please him to teach her the game and so Bonnie didn't mention that she already knew how to play it.

"Shouldn't you be going to the apothecary for Aimee?" Bonnie asked, as Thomas set up the board.

Thomas winced and it was clear that he had forgotten about his intended errand. He had come to see if Bonnie had wanted to go with him but Bonnie was staying and waiting for Emmanuelle to arrive. She was teaching Bonnie how to sew so that she could help Aimee mend some of the clothing that belonged to slaves they had been assisting.

It had been a week and so far they had gone to the Salvatore's and the Lockwood's. No one had grown suspicious just yet, but Bonnie knew that as small as the town was, it was only a matter of time.

"She will not kill me if I stay and play one game," Thomas said, "I will leave when Emmanuelle gets here."

Bonnie grinned as she made her first move on the board. "She might kill you if she is in one of her moods," she said, "Raoul can't keep her busy forever. Besides I'm never going to learn if you don't get supplies."

"If you were not such a pretty little thing I would be deeply offended by half of what leaves that mouth of yours," he said.

"Only half?" Bonnie grinned, as she jumped over one of his pieces.

Thomas frowned as he glared down at the board. "Are you sure that you have never played this game before?" he asked.

"I never said that I never played it before," she said, "You just seemed so thrilled to teach me something that I thought it would be rude to interrupt. Perhaps you will be just as enthusiastic when it comes to teaching me magic but since Aimee is going to kill you before you even reach get to go to the apothecary I am afraid I will never know."

"If you are trying to scare me into leaving because you are about to lose," Thomas said, moving his piece on the board, "It is not going to work, Miss Bennett."

They looked up as Corrine came into the room. "Aimee is on her way over here," she told them, "I was just over there talking to her about a personal matter and she seemed displeased with someone by the name of Thomas. Do you all know anyone by that name?"

Bonnie covered her mouth to hide her laughter as Thomas jumped up. She shook her head as he bowed to her and disappeared.

"If you don't mind me asking," Bonnie said, looking a Corrine, "What were you talking to Aimee about?" She began to put away the game as Corrine held up a piece of paper.

"A letter from my son," she said, "His name is William. He just turned eighteen a few months ago. He is fighting for the north in the war. I was afraid at first but now I never been so proud. Aimee is the one keeping him alive. Sent him off with enough protective charms and things to keep him alive for years."

"I don't doubt it," she said. Bonnie smiled. She didn't know that the woman had a son but it seemed to fit. She had already taken a maternal like interest in Bonnie and she was often the same way with Thomas. Bonnie had never really known that there were so many different roles that blacks could take on in this time. She had heard things in passing but it wasn't as if these kinds of things got any focus in schools. It was sad to think as much as the town seemed to dwell on their history and their founders, the history tied to Bonnie and her people was all but lost in her time.

"Do you mind if I read it before I start on lunch?" Corrine asked.

Bonnie waved a hand at her. "Go ahead," she said, "I will be fine I'm not really hungry right now anyway."

As Corrine left the room, Bonnie stood and ran her hands down her dress. She still didn't find it at all comfortable but the casual ones she was able to wear at home were a bit more comfortable than the more formal one. She had taken to wearing her hair half up and half down whenever possible as she didn't like it pinned up and her personal appearance was at least one thing that she had some degree of control over in the time that she was in.

Bonnie moved to finish putting away the board game when she heard someone creeping up on her from behind. Frowning she turned find Stefan and Damon, the latter being the closest one to her. Bonnie rolled her eyes at him as he frowned.

"I told you that you would never be able to sneak up on her," Stefan commented.

"What brings you gentlemen here?" Bonnie asked, looking between, "I thought I told you I would be busy today."

"We know," Damon said, "But we have a surprise for you. It will only take a few minutes and then we will be out of your pretty little hair."

Bonnie sighed. "Alright," she conceded.

"Turn around," he said. Bonnie gave him a look before she turned away from him. A moment later, her reached around and covered her eyes with his hands and Stefan moved to stand in front of her.

"Is this necessary?" Bonnie frowned.

"Humor us," Damon replied. He nodded to Stefan and his brother took Bonnie's hands. "Can you see anything?" Damon asked.

"You're covering my eyes," Bonnie laughed, "So no." She didn't know what they were up to and wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

"Alright," Damon said, "Now, Stefan is going to lead you so do not let go of his hands because your eyes are staying covered and if you let him go you will fall."

"Fine," Bonnie said, "But this surprise better be worth it."

They moved through the room and out of it in tandem. Corrine and Solomon eyed the three as they made their way through the kitchen and out the back door.

Even though Bonnie couldn't see she was sure that they looked ridiculous as they walked down the steps. She nearly tripped a few times and happy when they came to a stop. She knew they were outside as she could smell the fresh air and feel the grass beneath her feet.

"Are you ready?" Stefan asked.

Bonnie nodded, even as she began to feel a bit apprehensive. Damon uncovered her eyes and it took her a moment to adjust to the light. Stefan pointed and she looked across the yard at tree that stood there. Hanging from it was some rope and a piece of wood they fashioned into a swing. "You made me a swing," Bonnie said, not knowing whether to be shocked or touched, but settling somewhere in the middle.

"Stefan said that you missed home," Damon said, "So we thought it might help if you would be able to fly every so often."

"Would you like to try it?" Stefan asked.

Bonnie nodded not noticing as Corrine and Solomon came to stand in the back doorway to watch the scene.

Corrine frowned as watched Damon pick Bonnie up and lift her onto the swing. Stefan pushed from the front as Damon pushed from behind.

"It is never a good idea to be going back and forth between two men like that," Corrine said, "I hope she realizes what is happening before she gets caught into something that she is not prepared for."

"Sounds to me like you not talking about the swing," Solomon commented.

Corrine turned and walked back over to the kitchen counter and picked up her son's letter. "That is because I ain't," she said, and didn't comment any further.

_**End Notes: So next chapter will be mostly in the past as I said. Basically I will be developing relationships within the romantic pairings and outside of them for Bonnie. As far as the OCs go, it will feature more Solomon who tells Bonnie about the Salvatore's mom and Emmanuelle who will mention John Gilbert's fascination with the supernatural. I will also delve more into Raoul and Aimee's relationship, and Thomas' family back ground and he will receive some news about his sister. It will likely be slower in coming because unlike these first three it was not started. Like I said this fic has been sitting around for a little while because I was unsure about posting, but I am at the end of the prewritten stuff now. **_


	4. Part Four: Rain

**Title: **The Gods of Virginia

**Rating: **M

**Genre:** AU/AH, Time Travel/Romance

**Pairing(s): **Bonnie/Stefan, Bonnie/Damon, Matt/Katherine, Tyler/Caroline, Elijah/Katherine, Rebekah/OC (Thomas), etc.

**Summary:** When an accident sends Bonnie Bennett back to 1864, and circumstance force her into becoming a "kept" woman, she is less than excited to find that Damon Salvatore will be the one for whom she will play _placée_, but it is the price she must pay to live amongst the _gens de couleur_, a society that holds the only ancestor she has with the power to send her home. However, Bonnie begins to interest Stefan Salvatore as well and to make matters worse Mystic Falls isn't ready to witness open concubinage between a white man and a black woman especially when that woman is suspected of witchcraft.

**Warnings:** Time Travel, Non-Canon, Racism, Sexual Content, Violence, Original Character etc.

_**Author's Note: I am supposed to be working on updates but I got stuck and this was begging to be written and so I just ran with it before I lost it. I have a new beta for this story and so it has actually been edited. Lol. Huge thanks to LadyAlchemy for looking over the chapter for me. Hope you all enjoy this update and as usual any feedback would be awesome. Thanks for reading. Love you guys!**_

**Part Four: Rain**

_ "The world has a tendency to encourage you to be any and everything outside of what you are. They can put you so high up on a pedestal that you can't see the ground and then the next moment kick you down and stomp on you until you are so low that you stop feeling human. You must strive for perfection and if you reach it you must work to maintain it. There is no value in this, in being what others expect you to be, be it saint or sinner. The value is in finding someone who will accept everything that you are. That will embrace your flaws just as easily as they accept your perfections. There is a freedom in that, one that no one can ever really take away." _

― _From the journal of Stefan Salvatore circa April, 1864_

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

Bonnie Bennett sat on the couch in the parlor of the house she inhabited next to Emmanuelle Fontaine as they worked on sewing together quilts for the slaves that they had begun to help. Bonnie had never been the best at sewing but she managed to do a passable job. Emmanuelle on the other hand, her stiches couldn't be seen.

"So how are things with you and John?" Bonnie asked. She remembered it being mentioned in Emily's journal that John Gilbert had had some sort of involvement with Pearl Johnson. However, there was no Emily, no Katherine, no Pearl, and no Annabelle, at least not yet. Bonnie was surprised to discover that their presence predated them all.

Emmanuelle looked to be in deep thought, a small frown marring her features. "He is nice I suppose," she answered, "A good man. Not what I wanted for myself. He thinks that it is a sin that we lay together without being man and wife. He has to pray a lot, particularly when he finds himself desiring me."

Bonnie wasn't sure what to say to the description of John that she was given. She had only known what she had read about him and she was surprised that Emmanuelle had been so open with her.

"He also has an odd fascination," Emmanuelle continued, "Seems to have an interest in the possibility that there are things outside of the human realm. You know supernatural beings; vampires, witches, and the like."

Bonnie tensed slightly. While Aimee and Thomas seemed to believe that Emmanuelle didn't know what they were, Bonnie wasn't so sure. Emmanuelle seemed to be smarter and more observant than the others gave her credit for.

"I have been telling him that he reads far too many books," Emmanuelle sighed as she continued, "Where else would he get those ideas from?"

Bonnie was desperate for a change in subject, and so she ignored the question in favor of asking a question of her own. "You said that he wasn't what you wanted for yourself," Bonnie said, carefully, "What did you want?"

A shadow passed over her face and just as Emmanuelle opened her mouth to speak, she closed it again, no words coming out. "Not this," she said, after a moment.

Bonnie frowned, but decided that she wouldn't push. For Emmanuelle, this way of life was permanent. Bonnie at least, would eventually be able to go home.

"What about you?" Emmanuelle asked, "How are things with Mr. Salvatore? He seems far too charming for his own good, if you ask me."

Bonnie shrugged. "He's been surprisingly sweet," she answered, not sure of how else to put it. Describing Damon as sweet in any incarnation seemed to be a bit off but that was pretty much how he acted for the most part in regards to her. Both Stefan and Damon were sweet to her, caring and generous. It wasn't something that she expected from either of them, but it was something that she was extensively grateful for nonetheless.

"Sweet?" Emmanuelle asked, "That's it?" She raised a brow as Bonnie nodded. "The way folks around here talk I thought you would tell me you had taken up with both brothers. According to gossip if you are not with one Salvatore then you are with the other. People are starting to wonder..."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Let them wonder," she said, "I doubt very much that they're interested in truth."

"And what exactly is the truth?" Emmanuelle asked, the needle in her hand stilling as she looked up at Bonnie.

Sighing, Bonnie's hands stilled as well. "Damon and I are friends," she explained, "The same as Stefan and I are friends."

Emmanuelle laughed shaking her head. "He hasn't touched you then," she stated, "I'm surprised. From the way he was looking at you at the ball…from the way they both were looking…. But I digress." She continued her sewing as she spoke. "These arrangements rarely breed what one would call friendships. But the Salvatore brothers are friends of Raoul and so it does not much surprise me that they would take the route that he did with Aimee. Raoul was Aimee's friend in the beginning too. He hates plaçage so he vowed not to touch her. But of course in caring for her he grew to love her. But not everyone can be with who they love. Not everyone has the means in which to run off and get married. Or the courage. Aimee and Raoul are rare breeds."

Bonnie observed that there was a hint of bitterness in Emmanuelle's tone. She opened her mouth to ask, but stopped as she heard footsteps heading toward the parlor. She looked toward the door in time to see Thomas La Belle enter.

"Look who it is," Thomas greeted, "My two favorite women."

Bonnie welcomed him just as Emmanuelle huffed when Thomas came to sit down next to her. "I thought I was your only favorite woman," she frowned, her tone half joking, "Here I was thinking myself something special. Clearly I was mistaken."

Thomas frowned in turn as he gave Emmanuelle a sideways glance. "You would be mistaken if you thought yourself anything but special, ma belle Emmanuelle."

Bonnie watched as the two shared a look, and it was not lost to her when Emmanuelle scooted slightly closer to Thomas. "What brings you here, Monsieur La Belle?" Bonnie asked, "Not that I mind seeing you, mon ami."

"Working on our French are we?" Thomas asked, turning to Bonnie and smiling.

Bonnie grinned as she returned to her sewing. It helped that she had taken some French in high school. However, now that she was around the others she was determined to master the language. Or at least learn enough so she could do more than sprinkle a few phrases into the conversation here and there. "Un peu," she answered, "De temps en temps."

"Très bon, ma chérie," Thomas nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "And to answer your question, I am here because I have gotten word from my sister, Lisette."

Bonnie knew he had been worried about Lisette. Thomas had told her that he had never been a part from his sister, that since they were children they had been virtually inseparable until Lisette had fallen in love. Her love for Thomas did not ebb but once Lisette had found herself in love, it overshadowed her need for her brother.

"How is she?" Emmanuelle asked, "I know that you have been worried."

Thomas smiled as he opened the letter. "Lisette has always been one to go on her own path," Thomas said, "So perhaps I should not have been worried after all. She and Coleman have made it far north. They plan to keep moving until they reach Canada. They have found refuge with some abolitionist based in Ohio. Lisette says that they have a _magical _touch when it comes to caring for runaways."

Bonnie didn't miss the emphasis on the word magical and figured that there were witches within the group of abolitionist that he was mentioning. "It's a good thing that they have found shelter"

Thomas nodded. "It would seem that running away is not too impossible a thing if one is determined," he commented.

Bonnie was about to respond but Emmanuelle spoke before she could. "Not everyone can so easily leave behind their duties and responsibilities," she said, "Not everyone can afford to risk everything."

"Perhaps," Thomas nodded," But not everyone is too afraid to at least try."

Emmanuelle stood abruptly, surprising Bonnie as she set her sewing aside. "I must be going," she said, plastering on a smile and clearing her throat, "I have to get back home before Monsieur Gilbert returns." She nodded her head to Bonnie. "Lovely to see you as always Bonnie," she said, before turning toward Thomas slightly, "I am happy to hear that Lisette is alright."

With those words, she left. Bonnie watched her go, tempted to call after her. However, as she was unsure what had upset her she didn't know what to say to remedy the situation,

Once Emmanuelle was out of sight, Bonnie turned to Thomas. "What was that about?" She asked.

Thomas shook his head as he refolded his letter. He frowned as he put it back into his pocket. "Once upon a time…I fancied myself in love with Mademoiselle Fontaine," Thomas revealed, "I asked her to marry me and she accepted. However, her mother, thought it prudent for us to wait until after she participated in the system in which she is now trapped. It happens that way sometimes. Plaçage first and marriage second. However, there are cases in which the plaçage arrangements could last until death. They are not always as impermanent as people not familiar with the system might believe. I did not wish to take that chance. The chance of not being able to have her at all. I wanted to run. But she was afraid. I asked her to choose between me and plaçage. She made her choice."

Bonnie blinked at him. She was a bit flabbergasted. While it had been clear to her that the two were friendly and fond of each other she never would have guessed that they were in love. It wasn't as if they made it as obvious as Raoul and Aimee. Then again, it wasn't as if they could afford to. Knowing what she was beginning to know about the world that they lived in, Bonnie knew that they would have likely had to be very careful. "You seem so okay with all of this," Bonnie said, "With the system. With Emmanuelle being a part of it."

Thomas shrugged, his easy smile returning. Still the look in his eyes was the look of someone who was broken. The look of someone that had been robbed of something important. "I have no choice but to accept it, to respect her decision and to live with it. My life cannot stop just because I have suffered loss and I cannot dwell on the things that I cannot change."

"Do you still love her?" Bonnie asked, seriously. Now that she knew what had upset Emmanuelle and had enough information to read the situation, she was sure that there was still some feelings there in between them.

Thomas nodded. "She was the first person I ever loved," he said, "So I suppose a part of me always will love her." He cleared his throat and looked away from Bonnie for a moment. "Have you ever been in love, cher?" Thomas asked, when finally, he turned back toward her.

Bonnie nodded. "I was once," she said, "It didn't end well but I don't regret it. Jeremy...that's his name, he will always be special to me. As far as first loves go, it could have been worse. I learned from it at least. What I want. What I don't want. What I'll accept. What I won't accept." Bonnie frowned as she thought about the loneliness that had been plaguing her before she left. The need to be desired, wanted for who she was and nothing more or less. She hadn't found it in this time either, and she was beginning to think she never would.

"People like us are not meant for only one love, cher," Thomas said, "We have too much to give for it to be only meant for one person. We will love again, you and me. One day we will love so deeply that we will glow with it."

Bonnie laughed at the sentiment, shaking her head. "Do you really believe that?" she asked. She wasn't sure if he was simply trying to make her feel better or trying to make himself feel better.

"Of course I do," Thomas nodded, his tone holding an air of finality, "Everyone of French descent does. _L'amour et aimer à nouveau. _Love and love again. That is the way of life, cher. Even if sometimes it hurts in between."

"L'amour et aimer à nouveau," Bonnie repeated, testing the phrase out on her tongue.

"Très bien, fait," Thomas smiled, applauding lightly, "By the time you leave here you will speak fluently. _Parfait_."

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia 2011**_

Raoul Mercier walked into the room that Bonnie's mother had directed him to. They would be staying in their descendant's home now, temporarily, as Abby felt more comfortable with the whole situation having them close.

There had been very little fanfare in meeting Abby Bennett-Wilson. There was none of the immediate closeness or protectiveness with the woman that Raoul had felt almost upon meeting Bonnie. He supposed that it had to do with the fact that he resented the woman for abandoning Bonnie the way that she had. Even if the woman's actions were a part of what had brought Bonnie to them, it was hard for him to forgive her for it.

He had left the Salvatore brothers to brood and he hoped that they would at the very least attempt to communicate with one another. It wouldn't make sense for them to wait until Bonnie returned to air things out, to say the things that should have been out in the open a long time ago. Their issues were more than what surrounded their love for Bonnie. More than women. They had issues as men, as brothers, that were there before Bonnie had ever shown up.

It would be easier on Bonnie when she came back, if they knew where it was that they stood with one another other and knew exactly what they wanted from her and how they wanted to approach her. There was too much uncertainty before. Too much left unsaid, and too much said at the last minute when there was barely enough time to process things.

He knew that it wasn't his place to get involved, but it was hard to be a passive bystander where Bonnie was concerned. She was his kin. And though in truth they were generations apart, she would always be more like a little sister to Raoul than anything else and he knew that Aimee felt much the same way.

Raoul smiled as he watched his wife walk out of the bathroom. He shut the door to the bedroom behind him, and made sure that the lock was in place. "I am looking for my wife," he teased, "Could you perhaps tell me where I could find her?"

Aimee grinned as her eyes landed on him. It was not just any grin, it was _his_ grin. One that she reserved for him and no one else. "I don't know if I have," she replied, slyly, "Perhaps you could describe her to me. What is she like, your wife?"

Raoul walked up to her and placed his hands at her waist. "Well," he whispered, "She is beautiful, headstrong, extremely powerful, and she is for all intents and purposes the luckiest woman in the world because she happens to be married to me."

Aimee laughed as she ran her hands down the front of his shirt. "She must just love how modest you are as well," she said.

"It's one on my many winning qualities," he responded, "So yes, of course she loves my modesty, naturally."

Aimee rolled her eyes. Still she was amused by his antics. He was the reason that she did not take herself or the world around her too seriously. Even with his temperamental nature he had a better sense of humor than she.

Aimee stood on her toes and kissed Raoul's lips, smiling as she pulled back. "How did things go with Damon and Stefan?" She asked.

Raoul pulled her into him, not really wanting to discuss the matter as much as he wanted to focus on her. "Better than expected," he said, "No fights broke out between them, even now that they remember. I am sure that Damon is well aware of the things that he refused to allow himself to see back then. However, I believe that they are determined to handle the matter like adults and if that is the case I'm relieved."

Aimee wasn't entirely sure how much of their mature behavior would remain intact once Bonnie returned. She was actually certain that the two would come to blows beforehand. "And how do you think Bonnie will handle the situation?" Aimee asked.

Raoul shrugged. "We won't know until she gets back," he said, "And until then we'll take down Mama Original and make sure the danger is clear for her return. But we can't do that until Thomas gets here, which means we have some time to kill. What do you suggest we do?"

Aimee took a step away from him and beckoned him to follow with her index finger. "If you are still looking for your wife," she said, "Perhaps she's in the shower." Raoul watched with interest as she pulled her shirt over her head and let it fall to the floor. "Perhaps she wants you to join her."

Raoul walked forward, unbuttoning his shirt as he did so. "I suppose it's worth looking into," he said, as his own shirt hit the floor.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia 1864**_

It had been raining all day and Bonnie thought that it was appropriate considering her mood. Not only was she missing home, as she tended to do whenever she was left alone to her own device; but Stefan had gotten into a fight with his father and he had gone missing. Damon and Raoul had searched for him to no avail and Bonnie could not sleep for fear of what could have happened.

Damon would not tell her what the argument was about and so she was sure that it had something to do with her. Her presence was interfering with things and the guilt because of it was beginning to take hold.

It was her own stupidity that had brought her here. Her own actions, spanning for her own feelings of inadequacy. All because she had been mourning not being invited to a ball that she hadn't even wanted to go to and because she had been hell bent on bonding with a woman that had left her. Now she was somewhere that she didn't belong, being reminded constantly that she did not belong there.

Bonnie sat in the parlor, on the couch in front of the fire place, her white sleeveless nightgown trailing along the floor where her legs hung over the edge. She was attempting to read the book that Stefan had given her but her eyes looked down at the words unseeing. Her hands twisted and untwisted the handkerchief that Stefan had given her as she wondered where he could have possibly gone and what they would do if he didn't return. What would it change in the future and what would it mean for the past?

Bonnie felt helpless. There was nothing she could do. It was not as if she could assist in the search, as walking around and asking after Stefan's whereabouts was out of the question, at least for her. She had thought about offering to use Damon's blood to perform a locator spell but then she remembered that the Salvatores of this time didn't know that she was a witch and would likely not take it well were they to find out.

Bonnie placed that handkerchief in between the pages of the book to keep her place, before closing it and setting it down on the table in front of her. She looked over at the grandfather clock standing against the opposite wall. It was late and she would have to go to bed soon.

Corrine and Solomon had gone to bed long ago and she knew if she stayed up much longer, one of them would likely wake and come and check on her. Because of where she was, and how out of place she sometimes felt, at times she found it hard to sleep. When she did stay awake she often kept one or both of the others up with her. She didn't want to do that tonight. She felt guilty enough as it was. Still she wanted to stay up and wait until she had some word on Stefan's whereabouts.

It was odd being this concerned for him. She told herself that it was because he was human and not a vampire, and therefore less able to take care of himself in this time. However, she wasn't so sure that was entirely the case.

Bonnie stood and moved to turn off the oil lamps in the room but stopped as she heard a knock at the front door. Hope that it was Raoul or Damon with some sort of news filled her and she dropped what she was doing to run toward the sound.

It wasn't until Bonnie got to the door that she questioned her state of dress. She found herself ever conscious of propriety in this time. It was nerve-racking and she hated that it was even necessary. But with her hair down, her feet bare, and her nightgown displaying not much skin by the standards of her time; but far too much within the constraints of this one, Bonnie hesitated.

Deciding that Stefan's wellbeing was more important, as she knew that no one would show up this late without reason, Bonnie bit the bullet and opened the door. She was surprised to find Stefan on the other side, drenched and shivering, the rain steadily coming down behind him.

"Stefan?" Bonnie said, eyeing him worriedly.

Stefan swallowed as he took in her appearance. His eyes lingered on each expanse of exposed skin before he remembered himself and cleared his throat. "I am sorry to impose," he said, his teeth chattering, "But may I come in?"

Bonnie nodded her head. "It's okay," she said, "Come inside. You must be freezing." She took his hand and tugged him inside, shutting the door behind him. "I don't have any dry clothes for you but you should at least take off your jacket and come sit by the fire for a little while," she coaxed softly.

Nodding, Stefan allowed her to help him off with his coat, and the jacket underneath. She hung them on the coat rack by the door and then gestured toward his boots as well. He frowned but kicked them off anyway, before he followed her through the house and to the room she had just left.

She offered him a seat on the couch and then disappeared in search of blankets and towels. Stefan stared at the flames in the fire place as he waited for Bonnie to return. He had been riding all day. Even with the rain he had kept going, wanting to get as far away from home as possible. As far away from his father as possible.

He looked up as Bonnie returned, placing blankets next to him as she handed him a towel. He attempted to dry himself, but his hands shook as he was still unable to find warmth.

Sighing, Bonnie took the towel from Stefan's hands and knelt down beside him on couch as she began to towel off his hair. "What happened?" Bonnie asked, "Damon and Raoul have been looking for you all day. They said you got into it with your father."

Stefan let out a bitter laugh as Bonnie swiped the towel over the back of his neck. "He was discussing Damon's behavior as of late," he said, "Blaming you for it…"

Bonnie stiffened a moment, freezing in her movements, before she continued. _I should have guessed as much_, Bonnie thought. The one encounter she had had with Giuseppe Salvatore had been unpleasant so it didn't really surprise her that he would continue to be a problem. "Go on," she whispered.

"He wanted me to agree with him," Stefan said, "I usually do but I couldn't. Not in this. I defended you and I've never seen him look so disappointed in me. I've worked so hard not to disappoint him all this time. To be what he expects me to be. To be what Damon can't be. I'm the good son. I'm _supposed_ to be the good son."

"So that means you can't have your own opinions?" Bonnie frowned, "That you can't disagree or think for yourself? You can't live up to what everyone wants you to be all the time, Stefan. You're human. You're a person. You have faults. You exist outside of the pictures people paint of you and who you are in their heads."

Bonnie shook her head as she thought that she had forgotten the same thing about herself. She had had to be the hero, the moral one, the one who had put others before herself. She had grown silent and complacent, simply because she had been afraid of what people would think of her if she told them that she would stop helping, and stop abusing her powers. She had put everyone else's needs before herself and had lost the person she was in the person that everyone wanted her to be.

"You're not a saint, or a martyr, or a sounding board for other people's opinions," she said, "You shouldn't have to turn yourself inside out trying to live up to someone else's expectations no more than Damon should become some self-fulfilling prophesy because your father doesn't think he's good enough. You are who you are. Maybe it's not good enough for other people and that's their problem. But it should always be good enough for you."

"I'm tired of it all," Stefan frowned, "I'm so tired, Bonnie. I can't be good all the time. And what is good anyway? My father is wrong about so many things. About you. About Solomon. But I'm the bad one? It doesn't make sense. Who makes these rules and how come only certain people have to follow them?"

"There's a weighted question," Bonnie laughed, "But I don't think it has an answer. At least not one that would make you feel any better." She realized her drying was futile as his shirt was so wet that it was clinging to his skin. She went to remove it and his shaking hands stopped her. "I know it would be inappropriate," she sighed, "But I have to get you dry and you said you were tired of being good. So, please just do me a favor, and forget your manners for five minutes. Okay?"

Stefan didn't respond verbally but he removed his hands from hers, and nodded his approval. Bonnie lifted the shirt over his head and laid it over the back of the couch. She tried not to let her eyes linger on him as she toweled off his back.

"Why did you come here?" Bonnie asked, both out of curiosity and to take her mind off of the fact that he was half naked, "Why not go home and talk to Damon?"

"He wouldn't understand. I love my brother, I do. But he holds me to just as high a standard as my father. And I am no fool; I know he resents me for always remaining in my father's favor. He feels as if he cannot live up to me but, were I allowed to be myself, then _I_ could not live up to me." He looked over at Bonnie, his thoughts becoming unclear. "I thought it would be easier with you," he said, "Ever since we met I felt like we were the same. Like we were mirrored in each other."

In a way he was right. They had both been martyrs. Moral. Sacrificial lambs. Both willing to do anything for the people they cared about. But there had been a darker side to the Stefan that she knew in present time. A side that he had tampered down. A side that he was afraid to show to other people for fear that they would no longer love him, and respect him. A side that Klaus had forced to the surface.

Bonnie was not sure that there was a darkness to her, not of the same type, but there were parts of her that she kept hidden, in part to protect herself and in part out of fear of rejection. There were parts of her that were angry, and hurt, and resentful, and broken; that no one would ever know about.

"I've said too much," Stefan said, taking her silence as a bad sign, "You must think I'm mad." He had seen something in her, or had thought he had. Something that he had been searching for. But perhaps he was wrong.

Bonnie shook her head. "No," she whispered, "I am just surprised by how right you are."

The Stefan of her time had thought that it would be easier to connect with her because they were both supernatural entities but that was not where their connection lied. In fact she had used the vampirism as a reason to reject him. If he had tried another way to reach out, had gone with the aspects of their personalities that were the same, and there were many, then they might have gotten closer to being friends than they had. And they had been so close. But Bonnie doubted that Stefan cared enough to reach out to her in that way. She also wondered if the Stefan of her time would remember her or this conversation.

Stefan frowned as he began to feel lightheaded. He was tired physically as well as mentally. But he knew that he couldn't rest here. It wouldn't be right. "My mind is a bit foggy," Stefan whispered, "I should head home."

Bonnie reached out her hand and touched his face, frowning at the temperature of his skin. She moved his damp hair out of the way and touched his forehead. "You're burning up," she said, "You're probably getting a fever. You should stay here and rest." He opened his mouth to object and Bonnie shook her head. "Don't argue with me on this," she said, "Do you think you could make it to one of the rooms upstairs?"

Stefan attempted to stand but his weak knees wouldn't allow it. "I suppose not," he said, sitting back down and holding his head, "I should not be surprised that my body has given out on me. Riding in the ran all day like a fool."

"You not a fool." Bonnie stood and gently forced him to lie down. "You can sleep here on couch," she offered, "I'll check on you in the morning." His eyes were already closed by the time the words left her lips. Bonnie placed the blanket over him and knelt down beside the couch. "Will you be alright by yourself?" Bonnie asked worriedly as she noted his heavy breathing and lack of color in his cheeks.

"If I say no will you stay with me?" Stefan murmured, his eyes peeking open.

Bonnie smiled as she reached out and brushed away the hair that had fallen into his face. "Maybe until you fall asleep," she replied. It was weird for her to see him weak, vulnerable, and slightly needy. She had for the most part, only seen him as steadfast and strong. Fragile had never been a word she had associated with Stefan until that moment.

Stefan was too proud to ask her to stay with him outright, even as he felt himself weakening. Still he knew his next words would damn him anyway. "Then no," Stefan said, smiling weakly, "I will not be alright on my own. In fact I would be devastated beyond reason if you left me here all by myself."

"I guess I'll just have to stay then," she whispered, silently wondering who she would tell the story of this incident to first when she got home. Bonnie laughed a little to herself as she leaned in and kissed Stefan's forehead. "I'm glad you came to me," she said, "I was worried about you."

Stefan didn't respond but a small smile graced his lips, and though he couldn't see it, Bonnie returned it anyway.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Damon Salvatore knew that drinking wasn't a good idea, but that had never stopped him before. For them Bonnie had been gone for a day. He wasn't sure how long it was for her. Didn't really think that it mattered. All his memories were still intact and so he was sure that nothing had really changed.

He had found the deed to the house that she had once lived in at their family's expense, still in their names. It was crazy to him that they had so many clues right in front of them all of this time and they had never found one. Had never remembered and so they had never even thought to look.

He looked up as his brother entered the living room and sat down next to him. Damon frowned as he stared straight ahead and continued to drink. The more he thought about it, the less that he thought he would know what to do when Bonnie came back.

"Do you have something to say to me brother?" Damon asked, as he looked over at Stefan finally.

Stefan nodded. "I was thinking about Bonnie... She didn't want to come between us. She never wanted that. We should have let her step back when she asked. She wasn't trying to manipulate us like Katherine and she wasn't claiming that she didn't know her own feelings like Elena. She was honest with us. As honest as she could be without giving away that she knew us in the future. We pushed her and we're just as responsible for this as she is."

Damon was quiet for a moment as he took another drink. "I'm aware of all of that," he said, "What do suggest that we do?"

Stefan frowned, running a hand over his face. He didn't want to say it. He didn't want to say it, but he knew that he had to. What other solution could there be. "I think that we should let her go," he said, "There isn't a way that we could end this without one of us getting hurt and I'm not going to make her choose. She doesn't deserve that."

"You didn't seem to feel that way towards the end of her time with us," Damon pointed out.

Stefan sighed. "That was then," he said, "This is now. There are other factors coming into play. Other things that we need to think about."

"If you're doing this because you think that if she did have to choose that she would choose you and you want to spare my feelings," Damon muttered, "Don't bother. It doesn't matter if it's with you or me or someone else I just want her happy. I need you to stop trying to protect me. I'm a big boy. I can handle rejection."

Stefan rolled his eyes, but decided not to comment on the last point. "That's just the thing Damon," Stefan frowned, "She wouldn't choose. She would walk away. You…" He paused, knowing that he was about to overstep but he also knew that it was the only way that he could get through to Damon. "You asked her something before she left….before what happened between me and Bonnie happened, you asked her something…"

Damon knew immediately what he was referring to and he felt his heart sink. "She told you that?" Damon asked, frowning.

"Yeah," Stefan nodded, "She told me." Stefan waited for him to say something but Damon remained silent and so he chanced speaking again. "You should know that she didn't say no because she hadn't thought about it," Stefan said, "Or because she thought it would mess up the time line, which it probably would have but it doesn't matter now. She told me her reasons. She refused because she didn't think it would be fair to you, to any of us, with how she felt for me. Doing what you asked her to do would have been making a choice. One that she wasn't sure that she could commit to. She thought that you deserved better."

"So she told you that and then you two-"

"That isn't how it happened," Stefan interrupted, his hands clenching into fists, "She was saying that she would run any day and then Raoul said that he couldn't protect you anymore, that you would have to go back and fight in the war. I was losing you both and I was scared. I didn't know what to do. I…was willing to keep quiet for your sake but knowing that she could just be gone and that you wouldn't be there to protect her anyway if she decided to stay….I couldn't lie to her Damon. Not anymore. Not when she was finally being honest with me about how she felt."

"And how was that?" Damon asked, and then shook his head, "Why am I asking? I already know."

Stefan had been through this with him before, so he knew it didn't really matter what he said. That things wouldn't get any better. "That doesn't mean that what she felt for you wasn't real," Stefan said, "It was never just one or the other with her. She needed us both. That's why she didn't want to cross that line and why we should have let her walk away."

"It would be easier if she preferred one or the other," Damon spat, "Then I wouldn't feel like I had a chance to sway her or like there was something more that I could've done." For Katherine it had always been Stefan. Elena, on most days had said the same. All out rejection was at least clean cut and without vagueness. "I can't talk to you about this," Damon said, shaking his head and setting his glass down. A stood slowly and began to back away.

"Damon-"

"I think you're right," Damon said, "We should end this now and walk away. I'll start." With those words he walked away and didn't look back.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia 1864**_

The next morning Bonnie sat down across from Damon at the dining room table. Stefan had gotten slightly worse since the night before. Though, he only had a cold, a common cold was different in the eighteen hundreds than it was in her time and if left untreated it could easily become worse.

Bonnie watched out of the corner of her eyes as Corrine got a tray of food ready to take upstairs to Stefan. She was fluttering about in a very motherly fashion, a fact that didn't surprise Bonnie now that she knew that the woman had a son. Still, Bonnie had been the one to sit with Stefan all morning after Solomon had carried him upstairs. She blamed herself for his illness so she intended on being the one to take care of him.

"Why didn't you contact me the minute that he arrived here?" Damon asked, regaining Bonnie's attention.

"I told you," Bonnie sighed, "It was very late. I couldn't exactly send word to your house at that hour, especially not without alerting your father." Outside it was still raining and Bonnie was sure that it wouldn't let up any time soon. "I don't mean to be rude, but your father isn't a pleasant man and I do not wish to deal with him on a good day. Let alone in the middle of the night when he is already upset about his missing son. Excuse me for not wanting to be degraded and talked down to before I had a good night's sleep."

Corrine gave Bonnie a look, even as she had to cover her mouth with her hands to hide her amused smile.

"I understand," Damon frowned, "That father can be unpleasant. But if you had come to Raoul at least he could have gotten word to me."

"It would have only brought you hear a few hours earlier and given your father a reason to be suspicious that not one, but two of his sons had gone missing in the middle of the night." He would have likely come straight to Bonnie since he blamed her for everything from the war going on to each time he suffered a headache.

Sensing Bonnie's irritation Damon decided to drop the matter. "I understand under the circumstances why you didn't tell me," he said, "Though I wish that you had."

"Speaking of which," she said, "Why didn't _you_ tell me that the fight that Stefan had with your father was because of me?"

Damon frowned as he rested his elbows on the table. "I didn't want to upset you," he told her, "Besides it was more about the fact that Stefan disagreed with him and disobeyed him than anything else. It could have been about anything. My father's issues are his own and no one else's. At least that is what you keep telling me. You cannot just back out of those words when they apply to his opinions of you. Especially, when those opinions are wrong."

Her anger suddenly deflating, Bonnie sat back in her chair. She wondered how much of her arguing with him had been because she was really upset and how much had been because she was used to it and she longed to do something familiar to her. "You're right," Bonnie nodded, "I just don't want either one of you getting hurt because of me."

"We could say the same thing about you." Damon studied her a moment before he next spoke. "Thank you," he said, "For taking care of him. You could have left the matter to Corrine but obviously his friendship means something to you."

"Yours does to," Bonnie said, seriously. It was clear that Damon was on edge. She couldn't help but think that a part of him was remembering when his mother was sick. She didn't know how much he did remember. But Mary Salvatore's death still affected both brothers and she was certain that his mind would link their mother's illness to Stefan's somehow. "I know that you're worried about him, but he will be well taken care of. Nothing's going to happen to him. It's just a cold. It isn't like with…." Bonnie lowered her voice as she leaned forward. "It isn't like with your mother," she whispered.

"I know that," Damon said, leaning forward as well, "Consumption is obviously more fatal than a common cold." He reached out and placed his hand over hers. "Thank you for worrying about me but I was simply expressing my gratitude to you."

"Oh," Bonnie frowned, feeling silly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up….something that you probably don't like thinking about."

Damon shook his head. "It's fine," he said. Secretly it pleased him that her concern could extend to him, even while his brother was ill. Shaking the thoughts away, he stood as Corrine returned with the tray. "Would you mind if I brought it up to him?" Damon asked, "I would like to sit with him for a while."

Corrine nodded, handing the tray over to him and disappearing back into the kitchen.

Bonnie watched as Damon left the room with the tray. She had obviously said the wrong thing. Sighing, she looked down at the table, not looking up until Solomon walked into the room.

"You shouldn't beat yourself up," Solomon said, "That boy has been missing his mother for years."

"What was she like?" Bonnie asked, "They've told me things. But I know that you knew her well, and sometimes children can remember their parents with a bias, especially once they've lost them,"

Solomon nodded. Bonnie gestured for him to sit, and after a moment of hesitation in which he looked around, he took the seat that Damon had vacated. "Well," he said, "She was a pretty little thing. Had Stefan's eyes, and Damon's smile. She liked to sing, spend time in her garden. She loved those boys more than anything. Giuseppe was different when she was alive. Lighter is the word for it I guess. When she took ill, it was like a dark cloud just took over the whole house. It hasn't been easy on any of them. The boys don't smile as much. I miss her myself; she was like a daughter to me. She talked to me like a person, loved me like I was worth something. She was a good one."

Bonnie smiled, wondering what the woman would have thought of her were Damon actually able to really introduce them. Then she wondered why it mattered to her at all. "Do you think that they'll be okay one day?" Bonnie asked, "Stefan and Damon, I mean."

Solomon nodded. "I didn't think they would," he said, "They had each other but there are things that brothers cannot share with one another. Especially with the way that their father likes to build conflict between them. Pit them against each other. But since you came…they seem to be coming into themselves. They're doing better. Smiling more. Damon…acting more like a man than a boy. I don't think I have to worry about them so much anymore."

Bonnie shook her head. "But, I'm not really doing anything," she denied, " We're friend… I guess. But I mean, it could have been anyone that Damon made an arrangement with that night. I'm not anything special." Besides, when she left, Katherine would come and she would be the one that was the catalyst for everything that they became, not Bonnie. Then it would be Elena after her. Bonnie knew that in the long run she wouldn't really matter. It bothered her to think that way, bothered her in a way that it wouldn't have in the beginning, but either way it was the truth.

"Everyone is someone special to someone," Solomon smiled, "I was someone special to my wife once. Mary was someone special to Giuseppe. You keep doing what you're doing; you'll be someone special to them boys. If you ain't already."

_I doubt that very much_, Bonnie thought to herself. "I'm not doing anything," Bonnie insisted with a shrug, "I'm just being myself."

"For the people who will matter to you most," Solomon said, as he stood, "The ones that you leave your mark on and that leave their mark on you. That's all it takes."

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Thomas La Belle frowned as he sat in the kitchen of what had once been Sheila Bennett's old home. He was thinking, as he always did on the rare occasions that he had allowed himself to, of Emmanuelle Fontaine. In the end she had found the courage to run from her arrangement with John Gilbert. However, she had run alone.

Thomas had revealed himself to her. Told her about his powers and she had rejected him. She had been the first person he had loved and he had not loved another since then. It was an odd thing that he had been the one to tell Bonnie that it would happen for her, that she would move on and Bonnie had not been looking to. Still she had moved on to a situation even messier than her first and Thomas who had been seeking love had found nothing.

He stared at the necklace that he had stolen the night before and wondered if they would have everything else that they needed to help Bonnie before she returned.

"I understand why Aimee and Raoul are helping my daughter," Abby said, as she walked into the kitchen.

Thomas smiled at her as he noted the resemblance between the woman and her daughter. He was being more lenient on her than Raoul, but the effect that the woman's abandonment had had on Bonnie was not loss to him. He wondered if the woman would have ever come back if Bonnie hadn't sought her out.

"She is a close friend of my mine," Thomas said, "I have a soft spot for her and in many ways she has always reminded me of my sister, Lisette." He didn't feel the need to explain himself further. To be honest he thought that the woman should be of the mind that she should accept all of the allies that she could get.

Still the fact that she was asking questions about him, gave him hope that Abby did care about who was around her daughter and what relationships that Bonnie had and with whom.

Abby nodded. "Aimee and Raoul haven't been very forthcoming with information," she said, "They don't tell me anything beyond what they feel I need to know. I keep wondering about Bonnie. What she's doing or where she ended up. Can you tell me without the shadow of a doubt that my daughter is really okay?"

Thomas nodded. "She is well and though she might come back changed," he said, "It will be for the better in many ways." He decided to leave out Bonnie's involvement with the Salvatore brothers. Abby would learn of that soon enough. However, there was one issue that he wanted to address with her. He cleared his throat, before he continued. "I know this isn't my place," he said, "But when Bonnie talked about you to us…she was unsure that you actually cared for her. I can tell from the look on your face that you do. Maybe you should make it a little more obvious to Bonnie, when she gets back."

Normally Abby would have been offended but Aimee had told her something along the same lines. She knew that there was a lot about her relationship with Bonnie that she would have to address and make up for.

Abby considered Thomas a moment, before she nodded in turn. "I'll remember that," she said. She would remember, and in the meantime she would do what she could to help Bonnie until she returned and she could repair that damage that she had done when she had left her.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia 1864**_

Bonnie's hands continued to move over the piano keys as Aimee and Raoul danced around the room. The couple had told her that they had spent much time dancing while in France. Much time consumed in each other and their sudden freedom. It still baffled her a bit that they had come back to a place where they had less rights and their time together was cut in half.

But they had always been for and about helping their own people and that was exactly what it was that they were doing.

As the song ended Bonnie turned in time to see the two embrace and kiss. She looked away, not wanting to intrude on their moment. Bonnie had seen people in love before but it was always her friends as she didn't remember what her parents had been like as a happy couple or if they ever had been happy. Her friends, while the loved, seemed to jump from relationship to relationship. Nothing ever lasted. Raoul and Aimee seemed more real. They knew one another so well; they loved each other for everything that the other was. They found the freedom in their love that society refused to give them in life and Bonnie found an extreme sense of beauty in that.

Bonnie looked up as Damon suddenly came into the room and sat down next to her. "Are they always like that?" Damon asked, eying the Merciers with something akin to distaste.

Bonnie laughed as she nodded. She might have been offended if she wasn't sure that Damon's attitude had more to do with his dislike of Raoul and his feelings in regards to public displays of affection in general than anything else. "They are always like that and I think it's wonderful," she said.

Damon raised a brow at her sentiment. "In what way exactly?" He asked. It had been two days and Bonnie had Stefan finally well enough to sit up and move around a bit. He would be going home soon and Bonnie found that she would miss him and Damon found that he would miss having an excuse to come and see Bonnie. However, his brother's health was his main priority.

"I just don't think that there could be anything wrong with being loved the way that those two love each other," Bonnie shrugged, "I know for a fact it isn't always as simple as these two. You can love someone but that doesn't mean they have to love you back in the same way or at all."

"Respect their love all you want, Bonnie," he frowned, "But you shouldn't' covet it. Or aspire to it. Or try to mirror it. You can't control things like that." He remembered love turning his father into a good man and then losing it turning him into something else altogether. "Love is different for everyone. The way Raoul loves Aimee could never be copied. My mother always said that love was the most uncontrollable force that there is. You can't force someone to love you anymore than you can force yourself to love someone. But then you have these silly romantics saying things like, they place their art in someone else's hands or that if I love him or her then they must take responsibility. I've always found it odd when people seem to think that they have to take responsibility for someone else's feelings. We can hardly control our own feelings so why must we be blamed when someone else decides to feel a certain way about us."

Bonnie almost laughed; she very much doubted he would still feel that way once Katherine came along. It was clear to her that the Damon in her time placed responsibility for his actions on the shoulders of everyone but himself, particularly people that he claimed to love. "It isn't so much about blame or responsibility," she said, "you don't have to love someone just because they love you but at the same time you should be conscious of their feelings if you're aware of them and act accordingly. People are free to reject who they wish to reject and love who they love. But at the same time it's wrong to use or manipulate those feelings one way or another. It's also selfish. Raoul and Aimee are not selfish in their love. They have always been honest with each other. When they were friends. When they wanted more. When they became lovers. When they became man and wife. That is what I would want. Someone I didn't have to lie to. That's all I meant. Someone I could be myself with. Someone that didn't make me apologize for my feelings. If not then what's the point?"

Bonnie's mouth snapped shut as she noted the frown on Damon's face. She always found herself saying too much and speaking out of turn when she was with him. Most of what she said would never fly in polite society in this time but he never seemed to be bothered by it. At the moment he seemed thoughtful, but he didn't say anything.

As she waited for him to respond, she became lost in her own thoughts. She wondered when she had come to have such clear and concise views about love. She supposed being lied to and misled had given her clarity of sorts. Still she didn't think she was ready to go down that road with anyone again.

"What's that in your hand?" Bonnie asked, changing the subject as she watched Raoul waltz Aimee out of the room.

"The book you asked for," Damon said, "For Stefan."

Bonnie smiled. "Thanks," she said, "I think we've all grown tired of Great Expectations for now." Bonnie and Damon had been alternating in reading to a bed ridden Stefan. However, since he was close to being up and about it would be over soon.

Bonnie stood and stretched her arms over her head. "You said that you knew for a fact," Damon said, as he looked up at her, "About love. Does that mean that you've loved before?"

Bonnie winced, she had hoped that the conversation would have turned to something else. "Once," Bonnie answered, "I suppose. But I hear that your first love is very rarely your last. According to Thomas there is a good chance that I will love again. Not that I am looking to. I think his hopes are more for himself than for me."

Damon stood and looked to be in deep thought again. "Being in love," he said, "What was it like?"

Bonnie felt weird about the conversation but she answered the question anyway. "Nice," she shrugged, "Then painful. I don't think it's the same every time, like your mother said. I think it depends on the person. The type of love. The type of relationship."

"But if it can happen again and again," Damon said, "Why would it be something that is so important to so many. If it lacks permanence."

"It can be permanent," Bonnie said, "Especially if you work at it. It just isn't always that way."

Damon began to walk toward the stairs and Bonnie walked next to him. "You and Stefan read too many books," he said, "Develop these romantic ideals that would never really happen outside of their pages."

"You'll understand when it happens to you," Bonnie said, "And it will happen." She had borne witness to it and it's after affects.

"You sound so sure," Damon laughed, as they reached the staircase and began to climb up it, "So final. What I don't understand is how I have to fall in love to understand it. But Stefan who has never been in love can understand the concept so well."

"Like you said," Bonnie said, "Stefan is a romantic. And who knows, perhaps he has been in love before. Maybe he just didn't tell you."

Damon frowned as they reached the top of the stairs and began to walk down the hall. "My brother tells me everything," he said.

"Then maybe you should ask him and not me," Bonnie suggested.

They were about to reach the door of the room where Stefan was, when he grabbed Bonnie's arm. "One more question," he said, as he looked down at her. She glanced down at his hand on her arm and he let go of her a moment later. "How do you know?" Damon asked, "When you're in love, how do you know?"

Bonnie sighed. She didn't know where the sudden questions were coming from. But she supposed Damon had never seen a healthy romantic relationship, as his mother had died and his father had shut down when he and Stefan were so young. Still Bonnie wasn't the one to ask, her parents were divorced and all she had to go on as far as experience went was Jeremy. She was about as equipped to inform Damon about love as Damon was her. "I don't know, Damon," Bonnie answered, honestly, "Sometimes you don't." Damon looked even more confused and Bonnie laughed again. "I'm really not the person to ask. You'd be better off talking to Raoul."

"But I don't like Raoul," he said.

"Then I suppose you must like me then," Bonnie said, smiling a little, as she reached for the door knob. She would definitely be holding the fact over Damon's head once she returned. Though, she doubted the friendship would hold up.

Damon nodded. "Well," he said, "I thought that was rather obvious."

"Well take my advice and talk to Raoul," she suggested, "Or you could pick up a romance novel next time you're out."

Damon scowled and shook his head. "I think I will pass on both counts."

Sighing, Bonnie gave him a look before she opened the door and greeted Stefan. He smiled at them as Damon took the seat in the chair next to the bed. Bonnie took the book from Damon's hand as Stefan sat up, his back resting against the headboard of the bed.

Bonnie sat down next to Stefan and smiled. "Damon got us a new book," she said, "It's a mystery. Can you guess what it is?" She covered the cover of the book with her hands, so that he couldn't see.

Stefan looked in between Bonnie and Damon. "I'm not sure," Stefan said, "Give me a hint. A quote at least."

"Fine," Bonnie said, leaning back against the headboard and cracking open the book. She didn't notice that her movement cause their shoulder's to touch but both Stefan and Damon did. "Okay," Bonnie said, beginning to read, "'I say what other people only think, and when all the rest of the world is in a conspiracy to accept the mask for the true face, mine is the rash hand that tears off the plump pasteboard and shows the bare bones beneath.'"

Stefan tapped his chin with his index finger as he began to think. "I've got it," he said, "_The Woman in White_, by Wilkie Collins."

Bonnie pouted. "You do read too much," Bonnie sighed, "One day I am going to find a book you haven't read."

Stefan shook his head. "Before you attempt the impossible," he said, "How about you start this one from the beginning."

"Alright," Bonnie said, "but it isn't impossible." She flipped the pages of the book to the beginning and began to read. "This is the story of what a Woman's patience can endure, and of what a Man's resolution can achieve…'"

As Stefan moved slightly closer to Bonnie so that he could listen to her read, Damon frowned. He had been wrong, it seemed, about his brother telling him everything as he not realized how close that Stefan and Bonnie had become until that very moment. Then again, Damon wasn't too sure that Stefan knew how close that Damon was to Bonnie either. He hoped that he and his brother didn't make it a habit of keeping things from one another. Because neglecting to tell something was almost the same as keeping a secret and they didn't have secrets. Perhaps he should do as Bonnie had suggested and ask, even if he was not sure he would like the answer that he received.

_**End Notes: Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, it will be a while be for the next one. Alright so next chapter in the past Aimee hears some news about the man with cart full of pocket watches. Bonnie goes on a trip to the apothecary with Thomas and has an unpleasant encounter with George Lockwood. Damon teaches Bonnie the art of chess. Stefan witnesses Aimee and Bonnie doing magic and Bonnie is forced to reveal the truth about herself to him and must decide if she wants to tell Damon as well. In the present Thomas meets Rebekah Mikaelson when he is collecting supplies for Bonnie's spell. Caroline tells Matt about Bonnie missing. Katherine appears and has some surprisingly encouraging words for Damon. Klaus overhears Stefan talking to Raoul about his feelings for Bonnie. **_


	5. Part Five: Exposed

**Title: **The Gods of Virginia

**Rating: **M

**Genre:** AU/AH, Time Travel/Romance

**Pairing(s): **Bonnie/Stefan, Bonnie/Damon, Matt/Katherine, Tyler/Caroline, Elijah/Celeste, Rebekah/OC, etc.

**Summary:** When an accident sends Bonnie Bennett back to 1864, and circumstance forces her into becoming a "kept" woman, she is less than excited to find that Damon Salvatore will be the one for whom she will play _placée_, but it is the price she must pay to live amongst the _gens de couleur_, a society that holds the only ancestor she has with the power to send her home. However, Bonnie begins to interest Stefan Salvatore as well and to make matters worse Mystic Falls isn't ready to witness open concubinage between a white man and a black woman especially when that woman is suspected of witchcraft.

**Warnings:** Time Travel, Non-Canon, Racism, Sexual Content, Violence, Original Character etc.

_**Author's Note: So here is the next chapter. I didn't have time to run this by my beta and so there might some editing issues. Like I have said before, there is no endgame in mind and so I am trying to write unbiased but there will always be people who will feel one pairing is favored over the other so oh well. Anyway thanks for reading and as always feedback is appreciated. **_

**Part Five: Exposed**

_ It is an odd thing to think that you know someone and then realize that you don't really know them at all. Or maybe you do know them, and there was simply a side of themselves that they didn't bother to show to you before or that they themselves don't even remember having. But what if the person that you think you know, that you don't really know is actually yourself? What if you are stronger than you ever thought that you could be? What if you are weaker? What if you can care about people that you never expected to be able to feel anything but indifference for? What if you can love someone even when you know that you are not meant to love them? What if you can want someone to love you that you aren't supposed to have? What do you do then? When you look into a mirror and stop being able to decipher the person that looks back at you? When you change, and become something else then what happens to the person that you once were? When you see things, terrible things that break you and inspiring things that lift you up so high that you feel as if you are never going to come down, who are you once you reach the ground? _

_I have been broken in this place. I have been empowered in this place. I have been loved in this time. I have loved in this time. I am not just a girl anymore. Not just a witch. Not just a friend that does more for her friends than they do for her. I am a savior. I am a descendant. I am a rebel who fights degradation. I am the witch who escaped being burned. I am petite sœur. I am cher ami. I am la fille douce, I am l'amour de sa vie. I am un morceau de son âme. I am both less and more than I was before I came and yet…yet I don't know who to be when I come back. I don't know which person will fit into the world that I come back to, the person I was before or the one I am now. _

_Nearly everyone from this time that I have grown to care about now will be lost to me and the ones that aren't will no longer be human and may no longer care about me….I don't know who I will have left. I am writing to you because I know if nothing else I will have you. We may not be in the best of places in our friendship, but you are my only constant. When I come back I am sure that everything else will have gone up in flames and all that is left will be ashes. _

― _From Bonnie Bennett's letter to Caroline Forbes written, April, 1864_

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

Aimee Bennett-Mercier scanned the letter in front of her with a small frown. She folded the paper, placing it back into the envelope that she had received it in and looked up as her descendant enter her husband's study.

Bonnie had come over the minute that Aimee had told her that she had gotten word from New Orleans. She wished that she had good news to tell the girl. Though, the situation was not entirely hopeless; she knew that Bonnie was itching to go home. No matter how good she was treated in this time or how much the girl had grown to care about the people she had found in this time it was still painfully obvious that she did not belong there.

Bonnie may have had issues with her own time, but this one didn't agree with her either. Then there was the issue of the feelings that Raoul was certain that both of the Salvatore brothers were beginning to have for Bonnie. While Aimee was sure that Bonnie was oblivious to them both being enamored with her, it was rather plainly written on their faces whenever Bonnie was anywhere near either of them.

Aimee studied the girl now as she stood before her looking every inch the creole maiden in the blue day gown she was wearing, her hair pinned up, and a string of pearls around her neck. She wondered what the best way to broach the topic of her not being able to be sent home just yet would be.

"Raoul said you had news," Bonnie's eyes searched Aimee's face, "About the man with the watches."

Aimee nodded. "He's been spotted heading in the direction of Indiana," Aimee told her, "He is moving, but not fast. My acquaintances are tracking him but it will take time. Then once they find him they will have to convince him to give them a watch. Then they will have to bring the watch here, which will…"

"Take time," Bonnie finished with a frown, "I know." She tried to keep her face from falling but she could tell by Aimee's expression that she had failed. "It isn't that I don't like being here some days. I love you and Raoul. And Thomas makes me laugh more than any person I've ever met. Corrine reminds me what it's like to have a mother and Emmanuelle what it's like to have real friend. Damon and Stefan have been kinder to me than I could have ever imagined that they would. But even if this place eventually feels like home, it will never change the fact that it is not my home."

Bonnie was surprised when Aimee came up to her and wrapped her arms around her, embracing her with a hug. "You are bearing this better than most would," Aimee whispered as she patted Bonnie's back, "I just wish that there was more that could be done."

"You have done more than enough. I appreciate it and I am extremely grateful for it. For _you_," Bonnie said, emphasizing her words as she hugged Aimee back. This was something that she would miss. The care that everyone showed her. The genuine concern for her and her wellbeing. The genuine disappointment that someone felt when they thought that they had failed her. As much as she missed home, Bonnie knew that once she returned to her time that she would not have any of that. "Thank you for caring enough about me to try," Bonnie sighed, as she pulled back.

"We will do more than try," Aimee promised, "It may not happen as soon as you would like it to but we will get you home, Bonnie. And in the meantime, I will teach you everything that I can. Do you feel well enough to go over some of the spells that we have been working on before you leave?"

Bonnie nodded. That was another thing that she would not have once she returned home, real guidance in terms of her powers. While Abby was open to trying, the woman's own powers were weak and even still Bonnie wasn't sure how long her mother would be staying. "Sure," Bonnie nodded, deciding to spend less time mourning about not being able to go home and more time taken advantage of the things that she had in this time that would be lost to her once she was gone while she still had them.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Damon Salvatore looked at the small antique keepsake box in his hands. He had found in the attic of the boarding housed, hidden beneath the floor boards. It had been gifted to Bonnie by him, once upon a time. It was made of rosewood because red was Bonnie's favorite color. The design on the lid was hand painted orchids because they were her favorite flower.

A wistful sort of smile on his face, Damon flipped the lock on box open. He wasn't sure what to expect. Bonnie had always been putting things inside of it, but no one ever got to look in to see what they were but her.

Sighing Damon sat down on the couch he had been standing in front of and lifted the lid. He frowned as he pulled out a handkerchief that had his brother's initials embroidered on the corner. Tossing it aside, he continued to look through the box. A worn copy of _The Woman in White, _another allusion to his brother, made him roll his eyes. He smiled as he pulled out a hair comb that Aimee had gifted Bonnie with. Next there was another handkerchief that Corrine had embroidered with orchids that had Bonnie's initials in the corner. Next there was a pair of silk gloves that had belonged to Emmanuelle, a small wooden horse that Solomon had carved for her the day that she had learned to ride, and then a silver locket that had belonged to Thomas' sister.

Damon was about to close the box, sure that there was no memorabilia from the time that he and Bonnie had had together but stopped as he reached the things that littered the bottom. Damon laughed as he pulled out a black leather glove. He had thought that it had gone missing, but Bonnie had had it all along.

The next item was a button that had fallen off his military jacket the night that Bonnie learned that he would once again have to go to war. He could remember what else had happened that night as if it were yesterday. It had been the greatest moment of his life up until then and as he thought to himself, he realized that it still was.

Shaking his head he brushed away the memory and continued to look. He came across a folded piece of paper and he realized as he unfolded it that it was the last page of the contract that he had signed with Bonnie. Even more confused he folded the paper once more and set it aside.

There was a stained scrap of shirt and upon closer inspection Damon realized the stain was blood. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and then he remembered exactly where it came from. "Why would she keep something like this?" He asked himself before he continued to look through the box.

He came upon a collection of photographs. The first was a worn picture of Raoul and Aimee. There was yet another of Thomas La Belle. Another still of Emmanuelle Fontaine. Another photo of himself and Stefan, an exposure they had gotten done just a few months before Bonnie had arrived. It was the last of the photographs that caught his attention. He set the others aside carefully and picked the last ones up.

After learning that Raoul could no longer protect him, Damon had wanted a picture of him and Bonnie together that he could keep with him. Bonnie had obliged even knowing that she would soon have to run or rather return home. They had had to be careful as the town had set its sights on her by then. They had snuck out in the dead of night and gone to the town over. It had taken a great deal of bribery but eventually the photographer in the town had agreed to take their photograph.

However, the problem with photographs back then was the length of time that one had to sit still before there could be a capture taken. Things had gone fine when Bonnie had taken a few photographs on her own. One of which she had obviously given to Stefan as it had been within the book that had been his favorite. But when it came time for Damon and Bonnie to take a photograph together three of them were ruined by movement, the images blurred, before they had finally gotten one to come out right. The first had been ruined when Damon had decided that he had wanted to be holding her hand the picture, their hands blurring and morphing into one. The second had been ruined by their laughter. The third by Damon kissing her on the cheek. They were all there, the three that they had been ruined and the one that they had gotten right.

Damon wondered how she had managed to get all of the photographs from the photographer without him knowing. He ran his fingers over the last photo, but froze as he heard footsteps entering the room. He carefully began to replace the items back in the box as he had found them.

As he closed the box, he scowled as she realized who his intruder was. "What the hell are you doing here?" Damon asked.

Katherine Pierce smiled at him before taking a seat next to him. "I happened to be in the neighborhood," she said, "I needed to make sure Klaus was still too distracted by his family drama to come back after me. I overheard something interesting and I wanted to confirm it."

Damon blinked at her, as he sat the box aside and away from her. She was silently studying his face as if she was searching for something. "Get out," he sighed after a moment.

Katherine continued to watch him for a long moment. "It's true then," she laughed, after she had apparently found what she was looking for, "You were in love with the witch before me and you're still in love with her." She rolled her eyes as he huffed. "Don't bother denying it. It's written all over your face. Apparently she into brothers true because Stefan is at The Grille waxing poetic about precious little Bonnie Bennett and their tragic love."  
Damon winced, but recovered quickly. "Jealous are you?" Damon asked, his lip quirking upward. He didn't care if she was or not. He just wanted to change the subject.

"No," Katherine smirked, "But you obviously are. I thought that I was the first woman that ever came between you two but this is clearly a pattern. Even before me and wee little doe eyed Elena."

"It's not like we remembered her before now so I wouldn't really call it history repeating itself," Damon sighed.

"It doesn't matter what you call it," Katherine shrugged, "It is what it is. You are letting another woman come in between you and your brother. The question is, is she worth it?" Damon frowned as he looked away from her. "I mean you claim I wasn't and looking back on it now I have to agree," she pressed, "And my little doppelganger sure as hell isn't worth it. So I'll ask you again….is the witch worth it?"

"Yes," Damon murmured, opening up to her in spite of himself. It wasn't as if he had anyone else to talk to. No one that would understand. He couldn't talk to Stefan, besides Stefan had Raoul now. There was Alaric but he was too consumed by the good doctor Meredith Fell to listen to Damon's problems. Other than that there was no one. "She's worth it," he said.

"Next question," Katherine said, her face turning serious, "Does she love you? I mean _really _love you." Katherine may not have been in love with Damon but she cared about him to a point. Besides, there were also Stefan's feelings to consider and she was sure that if no one navigated them through the situation this time, the end would be the worst one yet. "Because I may not be your biggest fan but you deserve that Damon," she nodded, "but you aren't going to get it if you don't think you deserve it. You shouldn't be the second choice or the constellation prize. You shouldn't be the guy that gets the girl because she wants to fix him or because she feels sorry for him or because of any reason less than because she wants and loves you. So is that the case?"

He wasn't completely sure. But the things in the box had to mean something. "I think so," he said.

"Then I say go for it," Katherine told him, standing, "I mean you chased after me for centuries and I didn't love or want you so why give up on the witch." Damon glared at her and she shrugged. She turned and began to walk away. "Let me know if you get any word on Klaus."

By then Damon had stopped listening. Picking up the keepsake box, a plan began to form in his head. He decided to listen to Katherine's advice. It was a rare thing that she showed any concern for anything, but even with the animosity that he now felt for her, he could say that when she did give advice the advice that came out of it was usually right.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

Bonnie Bennett looked down at chess board sitting between her and Damon with a small frown on her face. Days had passed and she had tried not to think about the fact that she was no closer to getting home. Still sometimes it got to her and the others noticed, she was sure of it. She was very rarely left alone and more often than not, when she was given a moment by herself, someone would come and check on her before she had time to hear her own thoughts.

She didn't mind it so much, she liked the distraction, for the most part. In this case, while Bonnie did not mind the company, she did mind the chosen distraction. Damon had spent the last two hours attempting to teach Bonnie the finer points of chess. It was all going over her head. She could hardly keep track of the names of the pieces let alone the rules of the game.

As an incentive, Damon had suggested that with every game, the loser would have to reveal either one dark secret about themselves, two interesting facts about themselves, or three very dull things about themselves. So far Bonnie had been made to reveal three dull things and two interesting facts. Damon had only been made to reveal only three dull things and the game that he had lost had been one in which Solomon had assisted her.

However, Solomon and Corrine were both in the kitchen preparing dinner and so Bonnie was left to her own devices. "This game isn't very fun," Bonnie sighed, as Damon took out one of her knights.

"But I like winning," Damon laughed as he removed his jacket, "Almost as much as I like learning things about you."

"If you want to learn about me then just ask," Bonnie pouted, "The cruel and unusual punishment is not necessary."

Smiling, Damon rolled his eyes. "Well," he sighed pushing the chess board to the side, "What would you have us do instead, Miss Bennett?"

Bonnie tried to keep the impassive look on her face but she caught herself smiling anyway. It was an odd thing but she found that she actually liked Damon, this Damon. It wasn't a matter of simply tolerating him or just grudgingly respecting him in certain moments. She stood running a hand down the front of the pink dress that she was wearing. "You could teach me something useful," Bonnie suggested, "Some dances perhaps?"

Damon shook his head. Still he knew that he would concede, there was not much, if anything, that he would deny her. "My toes have just recovered from the last time that we danced," he grinned.

Bonnie sighed as she retook her seat. She had never had problems dancing before. But the dancing they did in this time was much different and she had really wanted to learn. It was something she had thought about since the ball.

She would just have to join Corrine in the kitchen. Or perhaps she would call on Raoul and Aimee. Or she could always wait for Stefan to get back from riding with his father so that he amuse her. She couldn't be alone. She knew that the moment she was alone she would think of home again.

Just last night she had cried herself to sleep thinking about her father. About the possibility of him coming home and not finding her there. About how worried he would be. About him having to eat out like he did on the road because she wasn't there in order to cook for him.

"How about you show me a dance that you know," Damon suggested, "I've been in your company for some time. Watched you move." Bonnie raised an eyebrow at the statement but he continued anyway. "You are very graceful. Very conscious of your movements. You must know some dances."

Bonnie blinked, surprised at his words. She hadn't realized he had paid that much attention to her. "Well," she murmured, "I do dance…but not any dances that you know." She had always been a good dancer and then there was the cheerleading. But those things weren't something that she could show him. Then a thought came to her, but she shook her head a moment later brushing it away.

"You were thinking something just now," Damon pointed his index finger at her, his cerulean eyes narrowing, "What was it?" He had gotten much better at reading her since her arrival, though there was always something that she tried to keep hidden. If one watched her long enough, she was quite transparent.

Were it anyone else, Bonnie might have attempted to drop the subject but she knew better than to try and brush Damon off. He was stubborn as a human and even more so as a vampire. "I suppose," she began, carefully, clearing her throat, "We could maybe….try slow dancing."

Damon frowned, his eyebrows furrowed. He had never heard the term before. "Is that so different from what we did at the ball?" He asked.

Bonnie nodded. "Kind of," she bit her bottom lip and titled her head to the side, "I guess. It can be." She glanced around the parlor room until her eyes landed on the cylinder music box that sat across the room. "I'll show you," she offered.

Walking over to the music box she picked a melody and then turned it on. It was odd to her when there were such advanced musical technology in her time but she was getting used to the simplicity of the time. In a way she admired it. Admired that people took the time to have actual conversation and found more entertainment in each other's company than outside sources. If her time had still be like that then she likely would have been much closer to the people she had left behind.

She turned back to Damon and held out her hand. "Come here," she instructed.

Damon hesitated as she looked at him expectantly. It was one thing sitting across the table from her, and another being close to her, touching her. He swallowed as he considered his options.

The decision was for him as Bonnie walked up to him and took his hand, tugging him to his feet. He allowed himself to be pulled toward the open space in the center of the room. "What now?" He asked, as she stood in front him.

She took his other hand and then guided both of his hands toward her waist. "Your hands go here," Bonnie said, realizing belatedly that this was much closer than they had been when they had danced at the ball. Still she had said that she would show him and they had danced once before in her time with him as a vampire. It was drastically different circumstances but the closeness had not been that far from how close they were now. Forging ahead, Bonnie wrapped her own arms around Damon's neck. "Mine go here," she murmured.

"Are we meant to be this close?" Damon asked. He could smell the softness of her scent and their faces so close that if he leaned down just so…

"Yes," Bonnie answered, breaking the direction of his thoughts. Nodding, Bonnie looked down at the floor. "Sometimes," she whispered, "People are even closer." She was about to explain the context in which it would occur when Damon tugged her gently forward.

"Like this?" Damon asked, as she fell against him. He felt emboldened as she looked at him with wide eyes.

Bonnie cleared her throat, something in the way that he was looking at her, equal parts intense and confusing. "That type of closeness," Bonnie explained, taking a step backward, "Is usually reserved for those that are romantically involved."

"Have you danced that close to anyone?" Damon asked, feeling slightly affronted at the thought.

Bonnie nodded. "Once or twice," she smiled, as he frowned, "If I hadn't then I wouldn't be able to show you."

"Then perhaps we should remain close," he said, pulling her against him once more, "For learning purposes." He knew that he was pushing boundaries. They were friends and Bonnie seemed to be adamant about how important that was to her. However, he could not help what he was beginning to feel for her. A need to be closer. A need for more, even as he was unsure of what exactly it was that he wanted.

He ran his hands up and down her back and she realized that the music had stopped before they had even had the chance to begin dancing. "Damon," Bonnie frowned, her eyebrows knitting together in bewilderment, "What are you doing?"

"I am not really certain," he revealed, "I just know that I enjoy being close to you."

Bonnie blinked at him, not sure how she felt about the statement. She didn't mind the closeness either. But there was something about the time they were in that made it all slightly off-putting. She was contracted to him. In essence he owned her. So if there was ever a time that he decided that he desired her, he could take her if so chose. She didn't believe that he would, but he hadn't been beyond compulsion as a vampire and she wondered how much of that had carried over from when he was still like this, still human.

Bonnie took her hands away from him and took a step away as she heard someone entering the house and heading toward the parlor.

"Bonnie?" Damon frowned, looking at her in concern.

She knew what he was asking. He needed to know if they were still alright. If he had not overstepped too far. "It's fine Damon," she murmured.

Bonnie looked toward the parlor entrance as Stefan walked inside. He smiled at them as he stopped in front of Bonnie. He didn't seem to notice the tension in between his brother and Bonnie as he took her hands. "I have it on good authority that father is retiring one of the plow horses. Which means that if you wish it then you may learn to ride and I would be more than happy to teach you."

Bonnie smiled, surprised by the new development, but happy nonetheless. Still she was sure that Giuseppe had not retired the horse for her use. He had likely planned on selling or killing the animal. However, even with the current animosity, Stefan still had a way with his father. "I would love to learn," Bonnie, beamed, all the while aware of Damon's eyes on her.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Thomas La Belle missed the days of the old, when one could get the magical supplies in one place. The apothecary had always been the witch's best friend. Since they had stopped existing outside of highly populated witch cities like his beloved New Orleans, witches had had to find other means of collecting spell supplies. That was why he was currently roaming through the forest.

In general Thomas hated the outdoors. It was an odd thing for servant of nature, but he preferred not to roam in wooded areas unless completely necessary. His sister had always been the opposite and so as children when they played Thomas made an exception for her.

The reason that he was in the forest in that moment had to do with another person he was always willing to make an exception for, Bonnie Bennett.

The spell that they were performing in order to protect upon her return required a certain species of burdock root that only grew in specific environments and wooded areas. As luck would have it, Mystic Falls happened to be a susceptible environment.

Thomas walked near the ruins of Fell's Church and looked along the barely standing stone structures where Aimee had told him that he would be able to find what he was looking for.

He spotted the spiked, purple flowering plant that he was looking for. Pulling the plastic bag he had brought with him out of his pocket, he kneeled down and picked the plant and placed it inside. As he stood up straight he frowned as he felt the presence of someone just behind him.

He turned around and frowned as his eyes met grayish blue eyes of statuesque blonde. She eyed him with open disdain as she stopped in front of him. She crossed her arms over her chest as glared. Thomas sized her, sensing something off about her. He reached out his powers and felt her out in the way that Aimee had taught him. Subtlety without her noticing.

Images flashed through Thomas' head and he frowned as she realized who she was. A vampire. An original. "Can I help you?" He asked blandly as he placed the burdock root in his pocket.

She tilted her head to the side, her stance defensive. "I don't know who you are but you have something of mine and I want it back," she said.

Thomas blinked at her. He had obviously not been as careful as he thought when he had robbed their home. He had obviously left something behind that could be traced back to him, or the mother was more powerful than they had initially thought. Still he decided to play it cool. Aimee had taught him well and even if they found they necklace they wouldn't be able to access it with the charms protecting the box it was now in. "I'm assuming you mean the necklace I stole from you humble abode," he sighed, "But as much as I would love to help you out. You can't have it back until I'm done with it."

"Excuse me," she said, her expression clearly telling him that she wasn't used to being defied.

"Listen," Thomas said, waving his hand dismissively, "What's your name?" She looked confused as he looked at her expectantly.

It was clear to her that he knew who she was, at least to the extent of what family she came from. H had readily referred to her necklace. Still he didn't seem at all afraid or intimidated and she didn't know what to make of that. "Rebekah," she muttered.

"Rebekah," Thomas nodded, "Nice name. Listen Bex…Can I call you Bex? You just seem like a Bex to me." When she didn't respond he continued just the same. "Listen Bex, I don't want to hurt you and I don't have time for this little dance so how about I take a rain check? I mean I have places to be, spells to do….a general schedule to uphold."

"_You _don't want to hurt _me_?" Rebekah laughed. She sped forward a moment later, wrapping her hand around his throat and lifting him from the ground. "I'll give you five seconds to tell me where my necklace is before I kill you," she hissed.

Thomas rolled his eyes. He had never liked fighting girls, not even vampires. He was a creole gentlemen, raised to treat women with respect. When it came to females, Aimee normally fought his battles for him. However, this one was leaving him no choice.

Rebekah loosened her grip and screamed as a sudden jolt of pain shot through her head. She fell to her knees a moment later as the pain increase.

The pain stopped as Thomas steadied himself on his feet and he wasn't surprised when she came after him once more. With a wave of his hand he sent her flying into the nearest tree, the vines growing up the trunk, moving to wrap around her and hold her in place. She cursed and struggled to no avail.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," he told her, "They'll loosen up when I'm gone. It was lovely meeting you. Let's do this again sometime."

He turned to leave, but stopped as she called out to him. "Wait!" Facing her once more, he raised a brow in question. "What's your name?" she asked, eyeing him oddly, "I'd like to know exactly who it is I plan on hunting down and killing when I get out of this."

"Thomas La Belle," he grinned, "And I must say would take no issue with being your prey." He winked and even though she attempted to hide it, he saw her lips twitch upward just a little. "_Adieu, ma chérie_," he called over his shoulder as he walked away.

"_Au revoir, monsieur_," she yelled after him, "Until next time." Thomas shook his head and in spite of himself he smiled.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

The apothecary was never a crowded place which gave Thomas ample opportunity to show Bonnie different herbs and their properties. Bonnie was relieved to find that they were the only ones in the small shop as it gave her a break from the staring that she had faced from the townspeople upon leaving the house.

She was listening attentively to Thomas when suddenly the shopkeeper came out from the back of the shop. He was old with a long white beard and pale skin. He nodded toward Thomas, his head gesturing for him to follow him.

"I will be just a moment," Thomas whispered, "The old man has something that Aimee needs. I will return shortly."

Bonnie watched as Thomas followed the man behind the counter and to the back of the apothecary. Once they disappeared she walked over to the shelves around the shop, picking up the jars of odd herbs, animal parts, and fluids. It was like something out of a horror movie in some section but Bonnie wasn't frightened. She had seen much worse that a jar of dead beetles.

She placed the jar on the shelf and turned as the door to the shop opened and someone entered. She frowned slightly when she saw who it was. George Lockwood smiled as he walked toward her. She glanced around the shop and saw there was no one else there. She wondered if she should call for Thomas but figured that she could handle him for a few moments.

"Miss Bennett," George said, "It has been a while. Not a day has gone by that I had not thought of you since the ball."

"Mr. Lockwood," Bonnie nodded, not liking the predatory way that he was eyeing her. She walked over toward the counter to wait for Thomas and he followed, walking way too close for her comfort. She could hardly say anything about it however, it wasn't her place, not in this time.

"I had even hoped to make an arrangement with you myself but your relative Aimee was dead set against it," he sighed, "It seems her husband is friends with the Salvatore brothers and she favored Damon because of it. A shame really."

Bonnie made a noncommittal noise but didn't respond. She looked toward the back of the shop and frowned when she saw no sign of anyone.

She turned and frowned when she realized just how close George was to her. "I understand from certain sources that your and Damon's attachment has not reached any level beyond friendship."

Bonnie took a step away from him and found herself pinned between him and the counter. "I don't see how that is any of your business," Bonnie said, in spite of knowing the possible repercussions of her words. It wouldn't do well for her to provoke any white man in this time, least of all one with a dormant werewolf gene.

"I had hoped that meant that you were not entirely happy with the decision your guardian made for you," he continued, positioning his hands at Bonnie's waist, "That you would still be open to forming connection elsewhere."

Bonnie pushed at his chest, but he held fast to her. "I don't wish make any arrangements with you or anyone else," she said, "Please let go of me."

"I understand that this is not the place for such things," he said, ever persistent, "How about we go for a walk and you can tell me your true feelings."

Bonnie felt her anger rise and at the same time she felt powerless. It wasn't as if she could use her powers on him or ever try and fight him. There was a chance that he would force her. But if she used her powers she would expose herself and put not just herself but Aimee and Thomas in harm's way. "I have told you my true feelings now please let me go," she said.

"Just a walk," he said, "A few moments of your time and I could convince you otherwise."

Bonnie knew that he could be reasoned with. She knew that she had to be careful, but she had to end the situation before things got too far. "Thomas is here with me," she said, "And he will not be pleased to find us in this situation."

"All the better reason for us to take that way," he said.

Thomas could do no more than she could. She had just been grasping at straws. If Thomas did intervene who knows what would happened to him later. She could possibly lure him outside and then wait in the apothecary for Thomas to return, but what if he would not go outside without her or if he came back for her. Bonnie was beginning to feel desperate and scared.

She had never had to fear it from Damon but she knew that he could have her if he wished due to their contract but she realized in this time with her skin being the color that it was, that it would not take a contract. Anyone could take her if they so choose and they would not be stopped. She would not even be considered the wronged one if Lockwood decided to force himself on her, Damon would. Because she was his property on paper and in the eyes of these people in this place that was all that it would be, Lockwood defacing his property.

Bonnie wanted to scream and cry all at once. Then she heard footsteps and her relief was palpable as she suddenly felt hope. It didn't matter who it was that had entered. She knew that there was a chance that it would be someone who was sympathetic to her situation, someone that could help her. Someone that could get her away from these unwanted advances.

She looked toward the sound and was even more relieved to see exactly who it was. "I suggest that you unhand her, Lockwood," Damon Salvatore said, his voice leaving no room for argument and Bonnie had never been so happy to see him.

Bonnie closed her eyes in relief as George finally let go of her. When she opened them again he was holding up his hands defensively. "Do not misunderstand Damon," he said, "I was simply saying hello to Miss Bennett."

"Your hands were a little too familiar for such informal a greeting Mr. Lockwood," he said, and Bonnie saw it then, the familiar anger. She had not seen it since she had been in this time but now she could see that his anger was a trait that had been present as a human. It just needed the proper provocation to come to the surface.

"I may not be the most righteous of men," George said, "But I would never do something as unwholesome as you are suggesting." Bonnie rolled her eyes even as the disgust she had been feeling was so very prevalent. "Besides," he said, "Everyone knows that a horse that has been mounted serves of no use once it has been worn out by another."

Bonnie's eyes narrowed and she felt the urge to slap George Lockwood across the face, damn the consequences but Damon moved forward and punched the man across the face before she could even move to defend herself. George struck back a moment later and an all-out fight broke out. Jars were knocked over and clothes were ripped.

Bonnie screamed for them to stop just as Thomas and the shopkeeper came up from the back. The shopkeeper's yell got both men's attention and George was quick to flee. Damon turned to her and he ignored the shopkeeper's cries about the damage to his store in favor of placing his hands on her shoulders and searching her face. There was a bruise on his jar and his lip hand been busted, the blood from it staining his shirt but that seemed to be the extent of the damage. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Bonnie nodded stiffly. She ran a hand down the front of her dress as if to fix it. "Thank you," she whispered.

He nodded in turn, before finally turning his attention to the shopkeeper. "I promise I will for all of the damages Mr. Miller," he said, his hands falling to his side. It was clear he was still angry but he left Thomas to tend to Bonnie as he followed the man to back of the shop.

"What happened here?" Thomas asked, once Damon and the shopkeeper had disappeared.

Bonnie ignored him momentarily distracted by blood stained scrap of shirt that had landed on the floor. Bonnie knelt down and picked up the scrap of shirt. She closed her fist around it and decided to keep it. She would always remember what had happened and she would always remember what Damon had done for her.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Aimee Bennett-Mercier looked up as Thomas La Belle walked into the living room of Sheila Bennett's home. Her expression was expectant and she smiled as Thomas pulled the burdock root from his pocket and held it out to her. Standing from the couch she took it from his hand.

"It was exactly where you said that it would be," he told her, "I did run into a little trouble but it was nothing that I couldn't handle."

Aimee raised an eyebrow at him. "Do I want to know?" She asked.

Thomas sighed. "Probably not but I should tell you anyway, _mon ami_," he frowned, "I had a run in an original. The daughter, Rebekah. She found out about the necklace."

"Then we'll just have to work more quickly," Aimee shrugged, not seeming at all worried. She tossed her hair over her shoulder as she picked up a stack of papers from the coffee table. "If you were able to get rid of her without any trouble then they aren't as strong as we initially thought. But still, we have to be careful. She'll probably be back."

"I'll be ready," Thomas nodded. He gestured toward the papers in her hand. "What are those?"

Aimee smiled. "I found these today when I was looking through Bonnie's old house," she said, "Letters, the ones that you advised her to write to her friend. They were still in her desk where she left them. I think that it's time that they were delivered."

"And of course you want me to do the honors," he sighed as she took the papers away from her. She gave him a look and he rolled his eyes. "Heaven forbid you do something for yourself."

Aimee smirked. "Why would I need to when I have your and Raoul to do my bidding for me?" she asked, "It isn't my fault that you can't say no to me."

Thomas shook his head as he stuffed the letters into his jacket pocket. "Just tell me where this friend lives before I change my mind."

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

Aimee Bennett-Mercier scanned the spell book in front of her, her mouth pressed into a thin line. In truth she wanted to kill George Lockwood, or at the very least make him pay. However, Raoul had convinced her there was too much of a risk and Lockwood would get what he deserved once the werewolf curse that she had sensed on him took hold. Besides, the priority at the moment was on protecting Bonnie. What had happened could never happen again. It should never have happen in the first place.

She started as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Aimee," Bonnie said quietly, "You have to calm down."

Of everyone Bonnie was taking the situation the most in stride. She had actually been more worried about Damon, as his fight with George Lockwood could have easily triggered the man's werewolf gene and gotten him killed. But that was how she was, more worried about others than she was herself. Still she would be lying if she were to say she wasn't affected by what had happened.

While Damon was gone, explaining the situation to his father as he was sure that the town would be talking, Thomas was somewhere letting his guilt haunt him. He was angry with himself for not being to protect her. But Bonnie understood. He was not in a position to. Not in this time. Had he done what he had wanted and fought George or worse used his powers on him, not only would Thomas be dead but Aimee and the others would be placed at risk as well and Bonnie didn't want that.

Being that they were the color that they were, Damon had been the only one in the position to fight back. That scared her more than she was willing to let on. The fact that someone could do something like that to her and it wouldn't matter to most and she would be powerless to stop them.

"How can you tell me to calm down," Aimee frowned, "That scum tried to force himself upon you? If Damon had not been there…you could have been raped or killed or both. I am supposed to be protecting you and I am failing and you want me to remain calm."

"You didn't fail me," Bonnie sighed, "You can't control George Lockwood. Besides I'm the one who went off on my own. I should have stayed with Thomas. But even if I hadn't the person to blame isn't you or me it's the one that did this. I knew I had to be careful but I hadn't fully processed the position I am in being in this time and how dangerous it could be for me. No I know."

"You shouldn't have to find out that way," Aimee said, turning back to the spell book, "But I will make sure it does not happen again."

There was fierce determination in Aimee's eyes and Bonnie had no problems with believing her. When she finally found the spell that she was looking for she turned back to Bonnie and gestured toward the locket the Thomas had given her. "The necklace," she said, "Give it to me."

Bonnie frowned. "But Thomas gave it to me to help with my control," she said, "I promised him that I would never take it off."

Aimee sighed. She took a calming breath and tried to sustain her patience. "I will not harm it and the spell will not change the properties of the passionflower," she promised, "All I am doing is charming it to better protect you as well. It is something that we should have done in the first place."

Bonnie nodded. She reached up and took of the necklace, carefully placing it into Aimee's outstretched hand.

Aimee pointed to the page in the book. "I will say the first incantation and you will say the second," Aimee said. She raised one hand over the locket and Bonnie watched as it levitated into the air. As Aimee said the incantation Bonnie sought to memorize the one still one the page.

So focused were they on the spell, neither of them noticed when Stefan walked into the parlor. He opened his mouth to greet them but stopped when he came upon the scene.

The necklace floated over to Bonnie and she said the incantation that would bind the spell. A blue light engulfed the necklace and then it fell into Bonnie's hands. "It is done," she said, "Now if anyone has ill intentions against they will be unable to enact them."

"Thank you," Bonnie murmured as she put the necklace back on. When she brought her hands back down to her sides her eyes caught sight of Stefan who stood frozen by the door. "Stefan?"

Aimee's eyes widened and she turned toward the direction Bonnie was looking in. She could tell that Stefan had witnessed the whole scene by the shell-shocked look on his face.

Stefan shook his head as if he were attempting to clear it. "I apologize for intruding," he muttered.

Bonnie almost laughed at the fact that he was still attempting to be a gentlemen after what he had just witnessed. She would have to tell him the truth. There was no choice. "I can explain," she said carefully, "Will you let me?"

Her eyes were so full of hope that Stefan nodded blindly even though a part of him was terrified. Aimee gave him a comforting smile as she grabbed her grimoire and quietly left the room. Bonnie sat down on the sofa that sat in the center of the room and clutching the package in his hands, Stefan followed suit.

"I…," Stefan said slowly, "I came because I wanted to drop of the riding gear I picked up for you and because Damon told me what happened with Lockwood and I thought you might need me…I just…what was that?"

Bonnie cleared her throat. "I guess there is no other way but to say it," she sighed. This had been a long day and she just wished that it was over. She wasn't sure how he would react and she had already dealt with so much. She couldn't lose his friendship as well. "Aimee and I are witches," she blurted, "From a family of witches. There are others as well. All over. Thomas is one as well. Most of us are good, but some have bad intentions. What you just saw…it was a spell. Aimee wanted to protect me that's all."

Stefan nodded. He wasn't sure what to say. He had heard things, whispering of things in the town. John Gilbert had approached his father more than once about talk of the supernatural but he had not ever thought that any of the talk was true.

"Will you say something?" Bonnie begged, "I know this is a shock but it doesn't change anything. I'm still me. Still your friend."

Stefan came out of his own thoughts and noticed the look of fear on her face. Setting the package in hand aside he took her hand in his. "My silence is because I needed a moment to adjust to the idea," he said, "Not because I am looking at you differently. I've heard things….things about beings that aren't completely human but I had never…never thought they were true. But if this is a part of who you are then I can accept it. And if your gifts?"

"My powers," Bonnie nodded.

"If your powers can be used to protect you then all the better," he said, "I was worried about you. And if Damon had been there today...Lockwood could have…." He shook his head, not wanting to think about it. "More than anything I want you safe and happy. I don't care about the means in which it is done. Are you alright?"

"That's it," Bonnie said, "You're just going to take everything I just told you at face value? Don't you have any questions?"

Stefan nodded, squeezing her hand. "I am a bit confused and cautious and I do have a lot of questions but I just asked you the most important one," he said, "Are you alright?"

Bonnie smiled and nodded. She was surprised that she was his chief concern and that he could accept this part of her without fear. Nearly everyone in this time who knew or thought they knew of witches feared them. "I'm alright," she told, "Thank you for accepting me. For a minute there I thought I had lost you. "

Stefan smiled. She had been afraid for no reason. He cared for her so much already and because she had shared this part of herself with him, he felt even closer to her somehow. He could never fear her, not with feeling the way that he felt, even if he could not explain everything that was growing steadily inside of him, them more time that he spent with her. "You will never be in danger of losing me Bonnie," he said, seriously.

She had been feeling so powerless all day. She hadn't been able to protect herself from George Lockwood, and had fully realized the weight of the time that she was in. But now she was beginning to realize something else. Aimee had prioritized protecting her and had not seemed to regret it even after it had exposed her to Stefan. The same way Bonnie had risked herself for others again and again. Damon had jumped into save her, not knowing the full extent of the danger he was in. Thomas was guilty for not being able to protect her and Raoul was ready to kill. Would have killed had Bonnie not told him that her friend Tyler's existence depended on the existence of George Lockwood. Now, Stefan had accepted her ever quicker than Bonnie had accepted Caroline when she had been turned. It was clear to her that she was more important to everyone around her than she realized. She had never thought that she would know what that felt like.

Stefan was surprised when Bonnie hugged him, her arms wrapped so tightly around his neck that she was nearly choked. Still her returned the embrace and ran his hands soothingly up and down her back. After a moment he realized that she had begun to cry. "Bonnie," he whispered, "Everything will be alright. I promise."

"I would never survive here without all of you," Bonnie said quietly, "I didn't think it would mean so much to matter to someone. But it means everything."

"There will never be a time that you do not matter to me," he said, "I care about you in ways that couldn't imagine."

She wished that she could believe him completely. She knew that there was a time in which she would not matter but she could talk comfort in mattering in that moment. She would treasure it now because knew that she would miss it when it was gone.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Stefan Salvatore sat at a booth in the back of Mystic Grill, his head down and mind on the past. Raoul was sitting next to him, waiting for him to speak but he wasn't in the mood the talk. He was in the mood to brood.

"You can't do this," Raoul sighed, "You can't walk away. You keep saying that you pushed things with her and you did, but not for long. You bowed out and you regretted it. That's why what happened before she left happened and that is why you can't give up now. No matter what happens or what she chooses you need closure."

"What happened before she left was the closure," Stefan said staring down at the table.

"If it were then there would be nothing for you to brood over," Raoul sighed, leaning back against the booth, "Lying to yourself won't do you any good. It didn't before and it won't now. What is it? Are you afraid that she's already made her choice? And when are you going to tell Damon the truth about what happened that night?"

Stefan closed his eyes. He always did this. Always made him face the things that he did not want to face. "Damon doesn't want the truth," he said, "He wants to think that he knows everything. And no matter what Bonnie chooses, someone gets hurt which means she'll walk away."

"Only if you let her," Raoul pressed.

"What do you want me to do?" Stefan spat suddenly, his frustration getting the better of him. He glanced around as people began to stair. Turning to Raoul he lowered his voice. "If I walk away I'm wrong and I'll regret it," he said, "But if I fight and she chooses me then Damon is alone again. I can't keep doing this. Turning myself inside out to make him happy. At the end of the day the choice is Bonnie's I get that. But what if she doesn't choose me. The more I think about it…I loved Elena and a part of me still does but I don't know anymore. I think a part of what both Damon and I saw in her was the chance to make the lie that we had with Katherine into something that was the truth. Into something real. But the realest thing, the truest thing I ever felt was with Bonnie and I…can't walk away from that." As soon as the last words left his mouth, Stefan found his answer.

"Good," Raoul said, "You realized it finally. You were starting to get on my nerves. I know that you and Bonnie are all about altruism and martyrdom but I can tell you that Damon is not of the same mind. Not that he would like seeing you hurt but the possibility isn't going to keep him from going after what he wants so I suggest you get off your ass. In the meantime I'm going to thank whatever higher power there is up there that I am not stuck in a love triangle and go find my wife."

Stefan laughed as Raoul stood from the table. "You have such a way with words and people, old friend," he commented.

"I do try," Raoul winked and Stefan watched as he left.

Stefan moved to leave as well when suddenly a shadow passed over the table. Frowning he looked up and was surprised to see Klaus standing over him.

"From doppelgangers to witches," Klaus grinned, "I approve but I have to ask what brought on the change of heart."

Rolling his eyes Stefan stood and moved to walk around him. "Go to hell," he muttered, "And make sure you stay away from Bonnie on your way there."

Klaus grabbed his arm and Stefan paused. "I can't make any promises," he sighed, "I was actually looking for her just now. She seems to have disappeared and I happen to need a favor. Whenever she returns from wherever you have her hidden….do send her my way old friend."

Before Stefan could respond, Klaus released his arm and a moment later he was gone.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

Damon Salvatore paced the length of the parlor, his mind racing. Bonnie had asked to see him about something important. A number of things had passed through his mind. He had not seen her in a few days due to his father's anger of the incident between himself and George Lockwood. While Stefan and Raoul had assured him the other man had stayed away, he was sure that it was possible that the incident had scared Bonnie off and that she could possibly be wanting to discuss the option of her returning home.

Damon turned as Raoul walked into the room and frowned a moment later as he realized the man wasn't Bonnie. "She will be down shortly," Raoul said, "No need to look so glum."

Damon rolled his eyes and then his face became more serious. "How has she been?" He asked.

"Fine," Raoul nodded, "Better that can be expected. But she's strong. Stronger than most. She can handle anything. Just like Aimee."

Damon nodded. Then something occurred to him. He wasn't sure why but his thoughts went toward the conversation he had had with Bonnie some time ago about love. "About Aimee," he said, "How did you know that you loved her?"

Raoul shrugged. "I did not know at first," he said, "Stefan knew before I did I believe. Or perhaps I knew and did not allow myself to accept it."

Damon shook his head. "Bonnie warned me that love was too complicated a thing to be explained," he said, "She told me to ask you but I don't believe it really matters who I ask."

Raoul laughed. "That is because love isn't meant to be explained," Raoul said, "It is meant to be experience and should you ever find it then my only advice to you would be to experience it for as long as you can no matter the risks and damn the cost." Damon was about to respond but his focus changed immediately toward Bonnie as she entered the room. Raoul noticed and shook his head slightly. "I'll leave you two alone then," he said. He left the room, kissing Bonnie on the cheek as he went.

She smiled at Raoul as he left and then turned to Damon. "Thank you for coming," she said.

"You wanted to see me," he said, "But to me honest I would have come even if you had not. I wanted to make sure you were alright after what happened. I would have come sooner but my father-"

"I know," Bonnie nodded, "Stefan told me." Sighing she decided to bit the bullet and tell him what she had called him there for. After talking to Stefan she had decided to tell Damon the truth. She didn't want him to have to hear it from somewhere else and she wanted him to know exactly who he had risked himself trying to protect. "Will you sit down with me?" she asked "There's something I have to tell you."

Damon sat down slowly, sure that he knew what would come next. "I understand if you feel as if what happens means that you cannot safely stay here," he said as she sat down next to him, "But I promise you that I would protect you with my life if necessary. You don't have to leave here. Not if what happened is your only motivation."

Bonnie blinked at him, surprised by the declaration and then shook her head. "Damon," she said, "That isn't what I wanted to talk to you about and you shouldn't say those things. Not when you don't know who I really am."  
He grabbed her hand, relieved that he had been wrong about her wanting to leave at least. "I know exactly who you are and nothing that you could ever have to tell me would ever sway my opinion of you," he said.

"I'm a witch," Bonnie said quickly before she could talk herself out of it.

Damon understood her words but he found himself unable to process them. "I don't know what you mean by that," he said, "I know your temper is a little bit much at times but surely you shouldn't insult yourself in such a fashion."

Bonnie sighed, running her free hand over her face. "No," she said, "I didn't mean…Damon I have magical powers. I'm a witch. So is Aimee and Thomas and there are others out there as well. Lots of others with these gifts."

Damon waited for her to show some sign of humor but she didn't. She simply stared back at him her face and eyes serious. "You're telling the truth," he said. When she nodded, he knew that she was. "How is this possible?"

Bonnie shrugged. "I was just born this way," Bonnie side, "Everyone on my mother's side of the family was. I'm not dangerous or anything so I don't want you to be afraid of me. I didn't want to tell you but Stefan found out and so I knew I had no choice. I understand if you want to end our arrangement. I know you must regret protecting me the way you did-"

"Stop talking so foolish," Damon frowned, "You keep making assumptions about my feelings and how I would react but you are not giving enough time to actually react and establish feelings." Bonnie's mouth snapped shut and they were quiet for a moment. He used the quiet to process the information before he spoke. "I knew when I first met you that there was something special about you," he said, "Perhaps this was part of it. But you be careful. This town wasn't safe for you before and these people fear the unknown. Fear can be a dangerous thing and if something ever happened to you I would never forgive myself. I will never tell a soul about your gifts, though I might like to see them for myself one day."

"You and your brother are far better people that I ever dreamed that you were," Bonnie said quietly. She wished that they would stay this way but she knew that they wouldn't, especially not Damon. "I want you to know," she said, "In case I never get the chance to tell you again…you are a good person Damon. Better than most and I respect you and I'm grateful to be your fiend. I feel fortunate to be someone that you care about. I didn't think that would be could thing, but it can be….I know that now. What you did for me is no small thing and I won't ever be able to repay you for and I hate that you were hurt because of me." She reached up and touched the fading bruise on his cheek. "And accepting me now even after all that happened means a lot to me, it means everything."

"I know how it feels to care about someone and get nothing in return," he said, "I know how it feels to want someone's acceptance and not have it. Those things are things you never have to fear happening with me."

It might have been true in that moment but again Bonnie knew that would not be once she left and went home. She already cared much more for both him and Stefan than either of them cared for her in present time and she knew that things would be a mess when she came home but she couldn't help it. No one had ever taken care of her and taken the time to know her in the way they were doing and she could not force herself to feel nothing no matter how hard she tried. "I really want to believe you," she said, tears stinging the corner of her eyes.

He let go of her hand and took her face in his hands. He leaned down and for a moment Bonnie though that he might try to kiss her lips, but he kissed her forehead instead. "Then believe me," he whispered, "No matter what happens, you'll always have me. Okay, little witch?"

Bonnie's eyes widened at the nickname, and for some reason it gave her hope. But there was something else in his eyes, something she had never seen before. Something that reminded her of the lost look on his face in the days when he was still pining after Katherine. Something that she could almost place but she wouldn't let herself. "Okay," she murmured back and she meant it.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Matt Donovan blinked at his ex-girlfriend as she finished her tale. He was sure that she was joking but her face was completely serious. Caroline Forbes was never serious unless the situation called for it and that had Matt worried.

He sat across for Caroline at her kitchen table and went from waiting for the punch line to trying to process exactly what she was trying to tell him. "So Bonnie is still in Mystic Falls but she's in the eighteen hundreds?" At her nod, he asked the next pressing question. "Is she safe?" Matt asked, "I mean not only is she in a time she isn't familiar with but she's in a time in which slavery still existed so…."

Caroline looked almost relieved at his bringing it up. "Finally someone besides me seems to see the problem," she sighed, "Elena is acting so blasé about the whole thing. But I talked to Stefan and apparently she has relatives from back then that took care of her and well…"

Matt frowned as Caroline paused. "What is it that you don't want to tell me?"

"It isn't exactly bad I guess," Caroline revealed, "Not exactly a good thing either though. Apparently she was involved with Stefan and Damon when they were human pre-Katherine and they kind of fell in love with her."

Matt thought about it for a moment and then sort of nodded to himself. "That makes sense," he said, "Do they still have feelings for her?"

Caroline held up her hands. "Wait a minute," she said, "What do you mean that makes sense? In what realm does it makes sense for Bonnie to fall in love with Stefan and Damon?"

Matt shook his head. "I didn't say that," he said, "I said it makes sense for Stefan and Damon to fall in love with Bonnie. I mean its Bonnie and if it was before Katherine I could totally see it. She's kind, loyal, and giving in a way that even the Salvatores as vampires can appreciate which is why they spend so much time taking advantage of the fact. I mean it's not like she would be mean to them if they're human and have no history with her. Besides a part of Katherine's appeal was probably because they had never met anyone like her before and she was probably liberal by their standards, Bonnie is from a whole other time and so that likely holds even more truth in her case."

Caroline considered his words and then shrugged. "I guess you could be right," she said, "And to answer your question I know at least Stefan still has feelings and Elena thinks Damon does too. They're pining after her as we speak. I don't know what's going to happen when she gets back."

"When will she get back?"

"A week our time," she told him, "A couple months in the one she's end now. That's what I was told. But if it doesn't happen then we'll have to go and confront them."

Matt was about to respond when they heard a knock on the door. Caroline stood and walked out of the kitchen. When she reached the front door, she hesitated before she opened. Looking through the peep hole, she saw an unfamiliar man on her doorstep.

Frowning she opened the door. "Caroline Forbes?" The man smiled as she gave him a once over.

"Who exactly is asking?" Caroline said. He didn't seem to be put off by her attitude but she wasn't going to let her guard down.

"My name is Thomas La Belle," he said, "I'm a friend of Bonnie's. We met during the eighteen hundreds and I'm here along with her ancestors along to help her. I have something for you." He pulled a stack of papers out of his jacket and held them out to her. 'They're letters," he told her, "She wrote to you all the time. Whenever she was sad or confused or happy or she missed home. She called you her constant. She said that no matter what happened when she went home she knew that you would be there."

Caroline smiled feeling a mixture of emotions and she took the letters from his hands. She wasn't sure why but she trusted him immediately. Perhaps it was his speech or perhaps it was the fact that he seemed to be the only one she could likely get information on Bonnie out of. "Thank you," she said, "Did you know her well?"

Thomas nodded. "She was and still is very dear to me," he said.

"Then would you mind coming in?" Caroline asked, "I know I'll probably learn a lot from the letters but….the Salvatore won't tell me anything. I'm worried, and so his Matt, our friend. He's inside. If we could hear exactly what happen from someone who was there then we could better believe that she's really alright."

Thomas nodded. "If you're a friend of Bonnie's then you're friend of mine," he grinned, "I'll tell you whatever it is that you want to know."

Smiling in gratitude, Caroline stepped aside and allowed him to enter.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864**_

The pieces of paper and ink that Thomas had given her sat on the desk in her bedroom. She had told him that she had wanted to get some things off her chest. Things about this time and the one that she had left that she could not talk to anyone about.

Thomas had at first suggested that Bonnie write a journal. However, talking to herself never worked. Things were getting complicated. Not only had she been through so much already but there seemed to be no real end in sight as there had been no more word on the watches.

It was becoming more clear to Bonnie had Damon was developing romantic feelings for her and according to Aimee, Stefan was not far behind him. She wanted to distance herself from all of it but she valued their friendship, needed in the time she was in as selfish as that sounded. Besides she knew that no matter what she said, neither of them would stay away completely.

Then there was the fact that a part of her could not take either of their feelings seriously. She saw them as something passing. Something temporary. Katherine hadn't arrived yet and there was no reason for Bonnie to believe that she still wouldn't. It had been her that had changed them and their relationship. Katherine whose behavior had dictated the entirely of their existence for decades, especially Damon. So she knew that whatever this was that either of them felt would not last long.

That was why she was forcing herself to feel nothing. Nothing beyond friendship. Beyond fondness. Nothing that would break her own heart or cause herself pain. That was why she needed to get away from herself and out of her own head. A journal would not really help her do that.

So Thomas had suggested something else. He had suggested that she write to someone from her time. Someone that she was used to talking to. Someone who would reserve judgment and understand. Someone who could remind her of home without having it cause her pain. There was only one person that Bonnie could think of.

Sitting down behind her desk Bonnie picked up the pen and dipped into the ink well. Taking a deep breath, Bonnie began to write. "Dear Caroline….," she said out loud as she scrawled the words across the page.

**:::**

_**Mystic Falls, Virginia, 2011**_

Abby Bennett-Wilson frowned as she heard noise coming from the back yard of her mother's house. She walked through the house and into the kitchen and found Aimee leaning against the doorway, looking out the screen door and into the yard.

The witch was calm as she sipped her tea, a wistful sort of smile on her face as she looked out at whoever was outside. Abby considered the woman for a moment. There was a look of pride and almost sisterly affection on the woman's face.

"What are you looking at?" Abby asked, "Who's out there?"

Aimee turned her, clearly not having noticed her before. "Come and see for yourself," she laughed, before she turned back toward the scene.

Abby walked up to stand behind her and raised an eyebrow as she looked outside. She had only encountered the vampire, less than a handful of times but she recognized Damon Salvatore immediately. She looked on perplexed as he began to hang a handmade swing from the oak tree in the middle of the yard. The seat was made of rosewood and even from where she stood she could see the carved orchids on the surface.

There had been a swing there when Bonnie was very young, one in the back yard of the home that she had once shared with Rudy as well. However, while the one at the home she had shared with Rudy was still intact, the one that Sheila Bennett used to push her granddaughter on had broken long ago.

"What in the world?" Abby muttered. While Thomas had briefed her on the fact that her daughter had had some sort of involvement with the Salvatore brothers as humans, he had been vague and had only told her what she needed to know and nothing more, though possibly less. "What's with the swing?"

"He's making his intentions known," Aimee explained, as Damon finished his task. She had been worried that things would remain unresolved, but it was clear that she shouldn't have been. Damon had grown as a human through his feelings for Bonnie and she could see that he remembered that. That he was embracing it now the same way that he had embraced it then.

Abby opened her mouth to respond but stopped as Damon picked up a small rectangular box from the ground and began to walk toward them. He stopped just short of the door and nodded at Abby before smiling at Aimee. "Hello Aimee," he said.

"Damon," Aimee greeted as she opened the screen door and stepped outside. She walked down the back steps and stopped in front of him. "What brings you here?"

Damon held the box out to her and Aimee recognized it immediately. The keepsake box that he had given to Bonnie so long ago. "I wondered when you would find it," Aimee grinned.

"When she returns," Damon said, "Please give this to her."

Aimee frowned, glancing at the swing. "Why don't you give it to her yourself? It's clear you plan on pursuing her when she returns."

"I plan on giving her something else," Damon explained, "Something more important. Something that she refused once but that I hope that she'll take one day." Aimee nodded, but Damon was not sure that she understood what he was referring to. Still she took the box from him and he nodded his thanks.

"You don't have a message for her?" Aimee inquired as he began to walk away.

Damon shook his head. "I would tell you to tell her that I'm not giving up," Damon said, "That I'll _never _give up. That no matter what happens, she'll always have me. But I plan on telling her that myself." Aimee smiled at his words and he smiled in return. "There's something you can tell Raoul though…tell him…tell him I said that he was right…about love."

"I will," Aimee agreed. She turned as he walked away and went back inside of the house. She gripped the box in her hands as she looked up at Abby. "There's a lot we didn't tell you about the past. But your daughter…he loved her….so did his brother. I believe they still do. She had…a great effect on them."

"It's weird," Abby sighed, "Just now…he seemed almost human."

"In the face of your daughter, it's very hard for him to hide his humanity," Aimee shrugged, "Or perhaps it is simply that Bonnie is his humanity. Whatever the case, things should be interesting when she comes home."

Abby watched as Aimee left the kitchen. She wasn't sure if interesting was the right word but she was sure that whatever her daughter had to look forward to when she returned, she would be the one that would help her through it.

_**End Notes: Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. So next time Solomon and Stefan teach Bonnie how to ride a horse. Everyone is reminded of the ongoing war when Corrine receives another letter from her son. Damon gifts Bonnie with the keepsake box. The Salvatore brothers get to see Bonnie's powers first hand when they sneak out to go night swimming. Emmanuel confesses her regrets about Thomas and it prompts someone to initiate a kiss with Bonnie. In the present Caroline and Matt learn about Bonnie's fate and Thomas learns more from them about the Originals. Stefan tells Damon about his run in with Klaus and Caroline decides to share her letters with Abby. **_


End file.
